Roger Federer - currently vacationing in Hoi An - has built such a strong reputation that even after two years of retirement, he is still the strongest tennis player in terms of personal brand.
Federer is likened to a dancer on the grass court, where he holds the record of winning Wimbledon eight times. Photo: ATP
Federer will hang up his racket in September 2022, after 25 years of professional competition, creating a huge legacy with 20 Grand Slams out of a total of 103 ATP titles, winning 1,251 matches (second most in history), ranking in the world's top 10 for 968 weeks, including 310 weeks at number one.
At his peak from 2004 to 2008, Federer enjoyed near-absolute dominance, winning five consecutive US Open and Wimbledon titles, 20 out of 23 consecutive Grand Slam semi-finals, and a record 237 consecutive weeks at the top of the ATP rankings.
In the first decade of the 21st century, Federer was virtually unrivaled on hard and grass courts. He won hearts with his flamboyant, incredibly precise style of play. The Swiss legend is considered the most important figure in the history of the ATP Tour, contributing to the elevation of tennis tournaments and the value of television rights.
41 great shots of Federer's career.
Many juniors admitted that they pursued tennis because they admired Federer. The world's attention on tennis turned a new page when Federer and Nadal formed the greatest rivalry of the Open era. Each match between Federer and Nadal (16 wins - 24 losses) and later with Djokovic (23-27) attracted a large audience. Many of these matches were selected by the ATP as the most classic matches in history, leaving strong emotions for millions of people around the world.
Federer has been the most influential figure on the ATP Tour over the past three decades, serving as Chairman of the Players Council for six years (2008-2014). He spearheaded many initiatives to elevate tennis when the sport was showing signs of losing popularity compared to other top sports. Federer also helped restructure the ATP Tour and usher in a new era of financial success for the system.
Federer's gentlemanly demeanor has earned him the nicknames of soccer's Pele and golf's Jack Nicklaus. He won the Fans' Choice award every year from 2003 to 2021, despite several injury layoffs. Federer has won nearly every fan-voted award when his name has been nominated.
Federer is on vacation with his family in Hoi An, Vietnam. Photo: Le Thu Guillon
Federer's name goes beyond tennis and even sports. He is a global icon, a gentleman, a role model for major brands. Uniqlo gave Federer a record-breaking $300 million contract when he was nearing retirement. Rolex partnered with Federer in 2006, renewing the deal in 2016 and extending it to 2027. Federer is considered the perfect ambassador for his hometown watch company. Federer remains the only tennis player and seventh sports star in history to earn $1 billion before retiring.
Federer says tennis has been more generous to him than he could have ever imagined. Aside from his career, tennis helped Federer meet his girlfriend and future wife, Mirka, at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The couple have been together for more than two decades, have four children together, and run a charity together.
The Federer Foundation has donated tens of millions of dollars to education in South Africa and Switzerland. The 1981-born tennis player visits Africa at least once a year. He has recently been active in Japan and China to spread his passion for tennis to children. Last month, the "express train" was in the US to develop the Laver Cup event he co-founded.
"Roger Federer is like the familiar Perfect logo on his shirt," former US tennis player Andre Agassi said of Federer. "Inside a great talent is a good personality, humble and friendly. Not the most successful, but he will be remembered the most."
Vy Anh
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