Roger Federer, one of the most accomplished tennis players ever, has recently embarked on a new journey to develop young people through tennis, art and culture.
"What about if we go around the world together, and we inspire and help the next generation of artists or tennis players?" Federer told NY1 anchor Pat Kiernan in an interview.
What You Need To Know
- After a legendary playing career, Roger Federer has launched a new global event series that will take him to different communities around the world to celebrate tennis, art and culture
- Federer launched the new program in August at MoMA PS1 in Queens last month when he hosted a coaching session for the Kings County Tennis League
- When Federer played in the U.S. Open, he stayed in the city, frequently eating at local restaurants and even playing tennis at Central Park in Manhattan
- Federer, who retired from playing tennis in September of last year, won 20 Grand Slam tournaments, including eight titles at Wimbledon, six at the Australian Open, five at the U.S. Open and one at the French Open
Federer, who retired from tennis last summer, kicked off his new global event series in August at MoMA PS1 in Queens, playing tennis with children from the Kings County Tennis League, an organization supporting underserved city kids.
"Hopefully we are going to do many more in the future in different countries," Federer said.
As Federer returned to the five boroughs for the launch of his program, he said he "always loved coming" to the city.
"This is one of the greatest cities on earth. Some of the most successful moments were here," Federer said.
Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, has the most consecutive U.S. Open titles in the professional era, winning five tournaments in a row between 2004 and 2008.
Federer also won the hearts of city tennis fans during that historic run, and he returned the love.
"I used to spend three weeks here in a row and I always said, 'I have to stay in the city throughout the U.S. Open,'" Federer said. "If you don't stay in the city, what's the point of playing the U.S. Open? You have to feel everything — the hustle and bustle of the city."
The Switzerland native frequently ate at city restaurants during his stays and even played tennis at Central Park in Manhattan.
"People were like, 'Is this Roger Federer who is playing the U.S. Open right now?' And then this commotion started. It was classic. I was very happy I did it, actually," Federer said.
With his historic playing career now over and the next chapter of his life underway, the 42-year-old is taking the lessons he learned in tennis and passing them down to the next generation.
"Winning and losing — in life, everybody relates to those. Not all want to become tennis champions, but they just love it. And I think being together with same-minded people who share your passion. Finding a place where you feel safe, where you feel good, and that's also the message I'd like to spread," Federer said.