Why ‘flawless’ Roger Federer will always be more popular than Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal
Roger Federer received another rapturous reception as he was presented to fans in Shanghai on Friday, cementing his reputation as the ultimate fans’ favourite in the modern game.
The Swiss maestro lost out in the race to finish his career with the most Grand Slam titles, as his 20 wins in major tournaments were eclipsed by Novak Djokovic (24) and Rafael Nadal (22).
Federer insists he is content with his remarkable career that saw him change the face of the game during his 20 years at the top and one prize he may always hold is that of being the most popular player the game has ever seen.
The presence of Federer in Shanghai brought screams of delight from the local fans, as a player who won the ATP Fans Favourite award a remarkable 19 times continues to be the ultimate hero of tennis fans.
His glorious playing style and his flawless reputation on and off the court contribute to his enduring popularity and while Djokovic fans often reject claims that their man lacks this level of support, the evidence we saw in Shanghai cemented the belief that Federer will always win the vote of tennis fans.
Nadal has his own army of supporters, yet Federer stirs emotions like few before him for millions of admirers around the world.
While his presence has been missed on the tennis stage in 2023, Federer insisted in his on-court interview in Shanghai that he is enjoying spending more time with his wife and four children now that he is no longer travelling on the tennis tour.
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“I didn’t have any plans per se as I was always trying to come back and then all of a sudden I realised that was it,” he told ATP Media.
“And then I was just ‘okay, it is over, what now?’ I think now I feel I am more in control of my schedule than before I was just after I retired, so it has been good, honestly.
“I have to be careful I don’t do too many things, but at the same time, I’m really happy to be busy.
“I like being with other people, love being with my family, I love to travel. But I guess sometimes you just have to make sure to find the right balance and I feel like I have that, so it’s great.
“I am trying to go to the gym four times a week and I can’t believe I am actually doing that.
“I rent the space at home and put the machines in and I got it the week after the Laver Cup in London, so it was like, after my career I finally had a gym.
“A little bit weird once I had retired, so now I have to use it, so I do that well, and I don’t play so much tennis anymore so I have to be a little bit more careful with what I eat and stuff.
“I would still like to play some exhibitions down the road so I want to stay in shape and try to look good a little bit.”
Tennis is missing Federer, but he has vowed to retain a presence in the game, which is great news for his global fanbase.
