Tennis fans could see Roger Federer during the Masters 1000 in Shanghai a few weeks ago. The former Swiss champion participated in some activities with his sponsors and also played a small performance during the prestigious Chinese tournament. The former world number 1 – who was also present at the Laver Cup in Berlin in September – has also witnessed live the decisive matches of the penultimate Masters 1000 of the season. The 20-time Grand Slam champion was in the stands during the semifinal between Jannik Sinner and Tomas Machac, while he was alongside Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Alcaraz during the final between Sinner and Novak Djokovic.
As he promised when he retired in 2022, the Swiss legend has remained closely connected to the world of tennis and loves giving advice to young players. Recently, Alcaraz – who held a small practice session with Federer in Shanghai – said he had received many valuable advice from King Roger during the time spent together in China.
Federer, Alcaraz, Ferrero© Tennis TV x account
It is not yet clear whether the Swiss Maestro will be present at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga in November to celebrate his great rival Rafael Nadal, who will play the last official event before ending his amazing career. When Roger retired from tennis at the 2022 Laver Cup it was a show for everyone, even though there were clear signs that that time was coming.
The King played very little in the last year and a half of his career due to a serious knee injury, which forced him to undergo several surgeries but without success. When he realized that he couldn’t be more competitive to win the top titles, the former world number 1 accepted reality quite calmly and started a new chapter of his life. Many expected Federer to stage some exhibition matches with his eternal rivals after his retirement, but the poor condition of his knee has prevented him from doing so for now.
Federer is unique
In addition to his many wins, Roger was really loved by fans for his unique style of play and his elegance on the tennis court. His partnership with Wilson has been hugely successful and using a racket with a larger oval helped Federer come back big in 2014. In the latest edition of the ‘Served with Andy Roddick’ podcast, ‘Racket Ron’ – a Wilson manufacturer – talked about the Swiss Maestro: “What struck me with him is that he was looking way ahead. He was never looking for a racket to play with next year. He was always looking for the racket he might need in three years. So every time he switched, that process started at least two years before he switched.”
Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal, 2022 Laver Cup© Stream screenshot
The greatness of the King is also linked to his intense rivalry with two legends such as Nadal and Djokovic. These three players made tennis history and their hegemony lasted for almost two decades. It’s not wrong to say that the Big 3 have taken tennis to a new level and that their impact on the sport is second to none in history. Djokovic won the most trophies, while Federer and Nadal were the most loved by fans around the world.
During a recent interview with ‘Super Deportivo Radio’, Toni Nadal opened up on the amazing rivalry between Roger and Rafa: “The rivalry between Nadal and Federer is comparable to Messi and Ronaldo in terms of how they have endured over time. But has two differences: Between Messi and Cristiano, there is a greater difference than between Nadal and Federer, and the other difference is that Rafael can do all the things Federer can do, whereas Ronaldo cannot do everything that Messi does.”
An almost unrepeatable era
The era of the Big 3 is over now, as Federer has retired in 2022 and Nadal is preparing to say goodbye to professional tennis soon. Only Djokovic will be in action in 2025, but it won’t be easy for him to further increase his billboard. Novak has not won a single Grand Slam title this year and has struggled to find the right motivation, except for his extraordinary run at the Paris Olympics.
The Big 3© @KJtheTennisPro X account
The Big 3 should be replaced by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, although they will need time to complete their maturation. Meanwhile, Jannik and Carlitos have dominated the Majors this year and have all the weapons to join the club of the best players ever. The Italian ace won two Grand Slam titles in 2024, while the Spaniard became the youngest player ever to achieve the feat of winning the French Open and the Wimbledon Championships in the same season.
