Classy, elegant, maestro, finesse- These are some of the words that define the great Roger Federer. The Swiss-man is arguably what Michael Jordan is to Basketball, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to football and Usain Bolt to Athletics.
Federer is widely regarded as the greatest tennis player of all time, having won a joint record of 20 grand slam titles. He also currently holds the record for most weeks (310) at number one.
But aside from the trophies and numerous records he holds, here are some unknown facts about the great man from Switzerland.
Twins Genes Run In The Family: Federer and wife, Mirka Vavrinec, have two sets of twins. The couple had Myla Rose and Charlene Federer- two identical twin girls- in 2009. Then in 2014, they had another set, but this time- twin boys named Lennart and Leo.
However, the surprising story is that Federer’s only and older sister, Diana, is also a mother to a set of twins. And that explains it all.
He Has A Street Named After Him In Germany: Federer has won the Gerry Webber Open in Halle a record ten times. And to celebrate his incredible achievement at the tournament, Halle officials decided to name a street after him in 2012. However, as at that time, he had only won five titles at the event.
Doctorate Degree: Although he is a tennis player, Federer has an Honourary Doctorate awarded to him by the University of Basel.
It came from the Faculty of Medicine, who gave him the honour as a reward for boosting the city of Basel- where he was born- and also the nation’s reputation. Dr Federer- what a nice touch.
Highest-Paid Athlete: Federer’s style and classy looks endear him to many fans, so it is clear to see why he’s the darling of different brands. His greatness transcends the tennis courts, and this year he was the highest-paid athlete in the world.
In a season where he played just one tournament, the 39-year-old still managed to become the first tennis player to top the highest-paid athletes.
Federer is the most marketable athlete in the world, according to Forbes, and it was not a surprise to see that over 90% of his earnings came from endorsements. Aside from that, he has a stake in the Swiss On-Running Shoe brand, and both parties recently launched a Roger Federer sneakers.
The 20-time grand slam winner raked in a total of $106.3m this year. Not bad for a 39-year-old in the twilight of his career.
He is a polyglot and Has African Heritage: Federer’s official language is Swiss-German, but he can also converse fluently in French, English and German. The Swiss maestro can also speak a little bit of Italian. His ability to speak different languages makes him popular with the media.
Also, Federer has an African heritage and could’ve represented South Africa, which is his mother’s country. He carries out a lot of philanthropic work on the continent through his Roger Federer Foundation.
He’s not only a great athlete but also a lovely human being.
