The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Trevor Sits Down with Tennis Legend Roger Federer
Episode Date: July 17, 2023Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer reflects on his 24-year professional tennis career, his emotional final doubles match with Rafael Nadal, and the time security wouldn’t let him into Wim...bledon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Hey everybody, John Stewart here. I am here to tell you about my new podcast, The Weekly Show,
coming out every Thursday. We're going to be talking about the election, earnings calls.
What are they talking about on these earnings calls? We're going to be talking about
ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches. I know you have a lot of options as far as
podcasts go, but how many of them come out on Thursday?
Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast.
You're listening to Comedy Central.
My guest tonight is one of the greatest tennis players and one of the greatest athletes of all time.
He is a 20-time Grand Slam champion.
He's also a philanthropist, an entrepreneur, and one of the classiest people you will ever
meet.
Please welcome, Roger Federer.
Roger Federer.
Roger Federer.
Thank you.
Roger Federer himself.
Thank you. Wo.. Roger Federer himself.
Nice to see you.
Welcome to the Daily Show.
Thank you.
It is so good to have you here because I mean you have you have, you have to have you have,
you have, you have to have, you have, you have, you have to have, to try and play it.
You are a move. I don't know if you ever think about how amazing that is when people see it, you've defined how people try and play it. You are a move.
I don't know if you ever think about how amazing that is when people will say, they'll
be like, I'm doing a federer backhand, I'm doing it, you know what I mean?
You've transcended the sports as well, because tennis for many people is just this thing
that happens somewhere and who plays it and how come to an end. Before we talk about the end, let's talk about what it was. When you look back...
No, I want to talk about that. Just when you look back, did you know from the beginning?
Did you have an inkling? Did you look in the mirror and go like, oh, I'm going to switch this
shit up?
No, no, I did not know. It was going to turn out this good. I mean in Switzerland we don't dream this big you know we hope to
we hope to be good but not a great and and in sports it's probably skiing and there's a bit football,
a bit of ice hockey and all that stuff and then tennis was coming up and thankfully we had an
Olympic champion Mark Rossi in 92 him on the Olympics in tennis and then we had Martina Hingis who also won the US Open and Wimbled then. and then. and then. and the. and the. and their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their, their, their, their, their, we, we've. And th, we've. And th. And th. We've th. We' th. We' th. We' th. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. We'. t, we'-. t, we'-s, we'-s, we'-s, we'-s, we've, we've. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. We hope, we've. We've. We've. We'veé, in 92, him on the Olympics in tennis, and then we had Martina Hingis,
who also won the US Open and Wimbledon.
And they paved the way for me a little bit
to show me that it was possible.
And then, yeah, people were saying,
I could be the next Pete Sampers,
and I was talented was going to have this great of a career, so I couldn't be more excited, more happy, more proud of everything and unfortunately has come to an end, but it's been great.
It really has been great.
It's been amazing.
It's true we have.
You know, you talk about Pete Samperus, and I think about somebody like Pete's, who
is a legend in the sport, you know, who defined so many aspects of the game. And he held the record for a very long time.
And then you come into the sport,
you eclipse his record in what, six years it takes you.
And you know, and Pete would talk about how,
you know, he got sort of tired of the sport.
And you know, he was a champion.
But you had this drive and this class
and this class about class that you came in with retired before you.
The next class played with you and you were still the champion and now the class that is there now still goes,
Roger Federer is one of the best competitors we've ever played against.
You know, what do you think? I'd love to know how you found that drive?
How did you keep on going, what inspired you even when you had won it all?
It's a good the the the the the to keep to keep to keep to keep to keep to keep the to keep to keep the to keep, the the to keep, to keep, the their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, and, their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and their, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, the the the the the the the the had Michael Schumacher that I would look up to who was at the top for so long Tiger Woods
same thing and I always thought it's impossible to do that you know to stay the top for so long
and have that drive now people ask how did you do it? I'm like well it's normal you just go out there you do it and you try to win and you else would like to be in your shoes
right and and then you also have a duty to in my mind to represent the sport
well and enjoy it while you'd last and I really felt like I squeezed out that
lemon till the last drop and I tried my very best in the end and it was it
was incredible and I needed the likes of Pete Sampus you know to also show me how it is at the top and it's tough you it's th you the th you th you th you the th I I I I I I I I I I th. th. th. th. th. I th. I th. I th. I thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi. I the. I thi thi. the. the. th th th th. th. th. th. th. th. th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th thin. thin. thin. the. the. the. the. to to toe. to to to toe toe. to to to to the to to the. the. the. the. the. the. Sampras, you know, to also show me how it is at the top and it's tough, you know, but I feel like I made, I had a lot of fun on the tour.
It was not just about tennis, it was also going to nice dinners with friends and I'm happy
that I didn't take tennis almost that serious or that professional.
Still had that bit a bit of an amateur twist to it to it to it to it to it bit worried that every sport is going into such a professional direction, which
I hope we don't lose the fun in it.
Yeah, I'd love to know, yeah, you know, that's one of the biggest things that has struck me
about you in meeting you as a human being.
And many people will say this about you.
You'll meet many athletes who have dominated a sport. The sport is their life. the sport is a huge part of your thia. thia. th. th. th. th. th. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. It's. It's. It's is, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's important. I's, it's important. I's, it's important. It's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it. I's, it. I's, it. I's, it. It's, it. It's, it. It's, it. It's, it's, it. It's, it. It's is. It's, it's is. I. I. I. I. I's, it's. I's. I's, it's. I's. I's. I's, it's important. I's important. I's important. I's important. I's important. I's important. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the for you. It feels like the sport is a huge part of your life, but Roger Federer is still Roger. You know, you're down to Earth, you have fun, you meet people, you have conversations,
you're living the life and you're enjoying what the life comes with in the sport.
It inspires you in a different way.
Do you feel like the whole sport has changed in that way? It has become like really meticulous and the game. I. I. I. I. I. I is is more. I. I is more. I is more. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. to. to. to. to. to be more. to be more more. to be more more. to be more more more more more more more. to be more more more more more more more. to to to be more more more more more more more more. to be more more more more. to to to to to to to to to the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. to thi. to thi. to thi. thi. the the the th sports science is also coming in hard. It's okay. It's important, you know,
and when you see somebody else doing something that works,
well, you gotta kind of do it too, or at least try it,
and then you go, you follow them,
and I probably, I did some of it for other players,
or for a lot of them,
and now others are showing it how it's done, you know? And of course, we're living in a very statistic-based world.
We love our statistics, we love breaking records
and who's the greatest and all that stuff.
So you come out, you just won a Grand Slam,
or you're just World Number One and the first question.
So how long you want to say, well number one.
When you're going to win the next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next next grand Like, what's your next win instead of actually enjoying it? And it's a bit of a problem, I think.
Instead of enjoying it, we have to move on too quickly.
And one Wimbledon victory would have been plenty for me.
And ended up going on and winning several, but it was,
yeah.
Several of deep.
Several of deep.
Several of these.
Hey, everybody.
John Stewart here.
I am here to tell you about my new podcast, The Weekly Show, it's going to be coming
out every Thursday.
So exciting, you'll be saying to yourself, TGID, thank God it's Thursday we're going to
be talking about.
All the things that hopefully obsess you in the same way that they obsess me. The election. Economics. Earnings calls. What are they talking
about on these earnings calls? We're going to be talking about ingredient to
bread ratio on sandwiches. And I know that I listed that fourth, but in importance
it's probably second.
I know you have a lot of options as far as podcasts go, but how many of them come out
on Thursday?
I mean, talk about innovative.
Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast. When people regard an athlete as the greatest of all time, oftentimes they're only referring
to what the athlete has done in the field of play, on the court, you know, on the racetrack, whatever
it may be, every single human being who, even if they don't know you personally says,
Roger Federer is the greatest of all time, not just because of what he achieved in terms of numbers, but how he defined
the sport. For instance, you had the record for a very long time, 20 grand slams, you know,
then Ruffer comes along and beats that with 21, then Novak comes along and beats that with 22, and yet when you talk to them, they say their, their, th....... And, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th, their, thi, thi, thi, thi, th, th, thi, th, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, th.. thi, thi, thi. thi. And, thi. And, toe, toe, toe. toe. toooooooooooooooooooooom. And, toe, to're aspiring to and he defines how we're
trying to play it. So I'd love to know you know is it a little bit
irritating that they're using you to beat your record or or does it strike you
that these are your greatest competitors saying yeah but you're still
the pinnacle of what we're trying to be. No no look I feel very lucky to be
that guy and I know I've been ever ever since they come on tour
I've been there so I think it's a it's a great moment for them you know to now
show who they are without that fetter halo effects me being around and
especially younger generation they were not allowed to say I want to win
the US Open because they were told you can't say that because you know Novak and Rafa and Roger we're we're all all all all all all all all all all all all they are all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all all to to to the o. the the o. the o' a to the o' a to to to to the o' to to they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they're they're they're they're they're they're. I they're. I they're. I they're. I they're they're they. I th. I th. I th. I th. I'm th. the. the. the. to. to. to. they're they're they're they're th. they're they're they're they're the they're they're told, you can't say that because you know, Novak and Rafa and Roger, we're all playing,
so they are the ones that can say that you're not allowed to say that.
But I think the end was very emotional and to be actually
on such a great sort of a friendship really with the guys at the very end of my career
after everything that we've gone through,
brutal matches, great wins, tough losses.
Yes.
And at the end, always having this camaraderie is amazing.
I mean, maybe just a little anecdote because maybe people don't know, but we share the same
rocca room, we share the same restaurants, we usually get put in the same hotels.
So we see each other all the think a lot of people don't know. And when I found that out, it was one of the strangest ideas I had to wrap my head
around.
I don't think there are many sports where the greatest rivals practice with each other.
I would think so, you know, I would think the greatest.
You know, I think the greatest. Definitely, I don't want you to know my to know, to know, to know, the the secrets, to know, their, their, thk, their, thk, their, thinks, their, their, their, their, their sports, their sports, their sports, their sports, their sports sports sports sports sports sports sports, their sports sports sports sports, their their their their their their sports sports sports, their sports, their sports, their sports, their sports, their sports sports sports, their sports sports sports sports sports sports sports, their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their greatest.. their greatest, the greatest. thri sports, the greatest, the greatest thi sports, where the greatest, where the greatest, where the greatest, where the greatest, where the greatest thi sa.... Okay, okay, okay that makes sense. Not so much with those guys.
But you play with Stan for instance. Yeah, with a lot of guys, Stan my drink and my
guy, yeah. And there's a camaraderie that that you achieve. For instance,
many were shocked, especially people who don't watch tennis many, myself included, we felt like we were robbed
of, you know, the last few years, COVID robbed us of so much in our personal lives, you know, in
societal lives, but then also in moments like this, we got robbed of two years of Roger
Federer playing the game, you know, it felt like your retirement came so early.
And when you did say goodbye. No to us it did. It's just like you know. Your knees are telling a different story. I was hanging on. But but then you know there's there's that
amazing video of the players saying goodbye to you and it's this clip of you and
and Raphael Nadell crying. We're all crying. You are crying you are in tears
you're bawling together and that was a special moment. You know I really think this is a very the very unusual unusual unusual unusual unusual unusual unusual unusual unusual unusual the very the very the very the very the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the their their their their their their their their there. there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there. there. there. You're there. You're there. You're there. You're there. You're there. You're there. there. there. there. I was there. I was there. I was there. I was their. I was their their. I was their their the the the their the the the they. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. there. I'm. there together and that was a special moment. You know I really think, I mean, this is a very unusual situation for us to be on the same team
number one and so I think that changed the whole dynamics of my farewell if you
want. Then my hope was I could play doubles with Rafa so call him up after the
US Open and it was a very emotional phone call actually because it was one of the first times I tol somebody th somebody th somebody th somebody th somebody th somebody th somebody th. th. th. th. th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I thi thi thi thi thi thi. I thi. I thi. I thi. I thi. I was thi, I was thi, I was thi, I was thi, I was th. I was thi, I was thi, I was th. I was th. I was th. I was th. I was a very th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I was th. I was th. I was th. I was th. I was thi, I'm thi. I'm thi. I'm to to to the to the to to the theat to theat to theat theat tooooooooo. I'm the. I'm the emotional phone call, actually, because it was one of the first times
I told somebody outside of my team and family.
And I had to call him up and tell him, hey, Rafa,
just before you make any other plans,
I would love you to be at the Labor Cup and play maybe one last doubles with me. It would be amazing because, unfortunately, my knee is not so the, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, and I, and I, and I, and I, and I, and I, and I, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm, the, and I'm, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. And, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, the the t. t. too. too. too. too. too. t too. t too. too. too. t too. too. too. think it's the end, you know, and he's like, oh yeah, oh my god, okay, yeah, I'll be there.
Whatever it takes, I just, he's now become my father, I'm so happy for him.
Yes, congratulations to him, yeah.
And we were not sure if he was going to make it, you know, because of the baby.
So it was one of the first times I had had had had hadell that story and come to terms like the career is ending.
So when he showed up and Novak was there and Murray was there and Björn Borg was there and everybody was there.
It was an amazing moment and then I knew it was going to be incredibly emotional.
I've always cried a lot in victory and in defeat when I was younger.
And I don't know why but I do it. But I'm happy because I remember those moments even more so
because of it.
And then when it was all over and I had to take the mic,
I knew it was going to be terrible for me,
but I felt like I did actually pretty good.
I think you did.
And I was so happy. I was able to be there in tennis, I was a. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I had to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was all. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I had to to to ta. I had ta. I had ta. I had to. I had to. I had to. I had to. to. I had to be there with the mic in front of the in the light and tell
everybody you know this is it it was home and it was amazing to do it in
London to where I had so much success and and the the Cup was beautiful and
Rafa they're holding my hand briefly people thoub or I held his hand actually but it were held, it doesn't matter.
It was amazing.
You know, you're going to have, and you will always be synonymous with the sport.
As I said, you know, you cannot separate Roger Federer from the sport itself now.
And yet, I was shocked to hear a story which I don't know if it was true or not.
I was like, Roger Feder, everyone in tennis, you cannot, the name is synonymous with the sport,
you can't, and then someone was like, well you know, Roger couldn't get into
Wimbledon recently, I was like, wait, wait, wait, that's not possible. Is this a is the true, is there even a semblance of truth, you, yeah? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, their, their, their, is their, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a. Is their. Is. Is their. Is their. Is. Is their, is a. Is their, is a. Is their, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a, is a... A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. t. tr. tr. t. true. t. t. t. the. to London to come see a doctor for having a second opinion on my knee because my knee has been not great lately.
And then I didn't want to tell Wimbledon that I was going to maybe be there and I didn't know if I was going to have time to go by the club because I was going to fly home to the family. So doctor appointment was done, look that I that I th. th. th. I th. I to to to th. I to th. I th. I to th. I th. I thi. I thi. I thi. I thi. I thi. I was to to to to to to to to to to thi. I was to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to to be to to to to to to to the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the thi. I. I was. I was the the the the the the the. the the the. the the the. the the the. thr. to to to to to to to the club because it was going to fly home to the family so Dr. Poitman was done look on the watch okay we got two hours to kill so what
are we going to do we head to the airport or let's quickly go half tea at
Wimbledon of course so like let's go buy buy but I have not really been at Wimbledon when the tournament is not on so okay so I drive to I to I to I to I to I to I to I to I to I the to I to I to I to I the to I to I to I to I the to I to I to I to I to I to I to I to I to I to to to to to to to the the the to to to the to to to to the the to the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the to the the the to to the the the to to to to to to to try. I try. I try. I try. I try. I try. I try. I try. I try. I try. I try. I try. to to to to to to to I drive up to the gate where usually guests come in, where let's
say you would arrive and then you go up. And so I get out, I tell my coach who was with
me at the time, Sarin, I tell him, I quickly go out and speak to the security lady, you know, I got this, you know, and then... I did not. So then I did not. So then I get out and I'm th. I'm the th. I'm the th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm th. I'm the to the to to to the to to to to to to the to to to to to to to to to to to to the the the to to to to to to told. I'd to to to to to to to told. I'd to to to to to to to to to to to to their. I'd their. I'd their. I'd their. I'd the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the their. the their. th. the th. the. the. the the. the the. told. the told. told. told. told. to to. to. the I'm like, yes, hello.
I'm just wondering how I can get into Wimbledon.
You know, where is the door?
Where's the gate?
And she's, yeah, do you have a membership card?
I'm like, we have one.
Because when you win Wimbledon, you become a member automatically.
Yes. And I honestly, I don't know about membership cards.
They're probably at home somewhere. And I've I just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just just thua I th. I th. I th. I thi I thi I th. I'm just thi thi thi thi thi thi. I'm just just thi. I'm just thi. I'm just home somewhere and I've just been traveling so I had no idea. So I'm
like no I don't have my membership card but I am a member. I'm just wondering
where I can get in and she's, yeah but you have to be a member.
So I'm like okay this is going to be difficult here this one. So I'm like no I am a member. I am here so I have to to have to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the the to to to to to to be the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the try. I. I. I. I. I'm. I have. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I have. I'm. I. I have. I. I. I. I'm. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. like, no, I am a member. And normally I am here.
So I have to start again, right?
So I tell her, normally when I'm here, I'm playing.
And there's loads of people.
And I come in in a different way.
And now it's the first time I'm not here.
Yeah, well, the tournament is not on. And I don't know where to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get where to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get to get the the the the to get the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. to. I'm. to. tean. toomean. tourmoom, I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. tourn. I'm. I'm. I'm tourn. I'm. I'm tome. I'm. I'm to get in, so I'm just asking you again, where can I get in? She's like, well, I'll decide, but you have to be a member.
So I look at her one last time and I'm in a panic now, and I'm so sorry,
and I couldn't believe, I still can't believe, I say that, because I still feel bad about it,
and I'd look at her and it's like, I have a member and where do I get in?
So I'm like, okay.
It was, so then, yeah.
So I get back in the car, my coach is like, oh, all good, where do we get in?
I'm like, don't, don't talk.
So I'm like, let's go up and around the gate it's like
she doesn't let you in no so so I so then I go out and the I go around on the
other side so I get out of the car and random person walks you know on the
what it walkway yeah yeah and said oh mr. Feder oh I can believe you're here
at Wimbledon like can we take a selfie selfie? I'm like, yes, let's take a picture.
And the security guards that are there.
They're like, oh my God, Mr. Fetter, what are you doing here?
Do you have your membership card?
I'm like, no I don't.
But is it possible to the other
side and giving a wave that I was in but but I didn't do it you would never do
that but it was you would never do that it was terrible you would never do
that you see that's that's what I mean that's the Roger Federer you and when I said I want to win w. w. w. w. W W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. W. the the the the the the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the. the the the the. th. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. th. the. the. the. the. the. theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeean. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. th. th. th. th. Federer. When I said I want a Wimbledon eight times,
for a split second I wasn't sure if it was eight anymore.
Because I thought it was a seven, was it eight?
I don't know, but I said it because I'd never talk like this.
So, yeah, you know what?
I love that both of you in that situation.
Because on your side, you never't respond as if they should recognize, you're not that person.
Exactly. But on her, sir, I believe she deserves a raise. She was gangster about it.
She was doing it. Yeah, absolutely. Where's your name? Where's your picture? You don't have it?
I'm sorry. I mean, you. I like that a lot.
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Good. What I've enjoyed about knowing you is we have so many things in common.
You may not know this as an audience, but you know like Roger and I, we have many things
in common.
We both, we both are half-swis, half-South African.
Yeah, we both have so-sufth-souffed African.
We both speak multiple languages.
We both played at the record holding, you know, I think it's still old.
We both play tennis?
We both play tennis, we do.
Yeah, I think it's the world record for the highest attendance for a tennis match.
We might still hold it.
Yeah.
I mean, I played for 20 plus years, right?
But I needed to the record.
I needed help.
I don't th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th I don't th I don't th I don't th I don't? You needed you needed help. I don't think it would have happened without me.
You know, we have between us 20 Grandstam titles.
It's crazy.
Um, but, and you know, in many ways, you know, we're both moving on to something
different. And I'd love to know from your side, as an athlete who's defined yourself as something for so long, and the people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people people, and that, and th, and th, and to to to to to to to to to to to to to, and to, and to, and to, and to, I, I to, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, and, to, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I, I'm, I'm, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, to to their, their, to be, their, their, I mean, their, their, their, to me, to, to, to me, to, their, thing for so long, you've talked about how hard the idea of moving on has been, the
idea of what you will do when tennis isn't your life, but I've noticed that
you've almost seamlessly slid into everything. You know, your clothing is
everywhere, your shoes, you know like one of my one of my camera guys on the team he was telling me he's like, these are like th.......... You th. You th. You th. You th. You th. You th. You th. You th. You're th. You're th. You're th. You're th. You're they. You're they. You're they. You're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, they. You're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, the the the the the the the the the they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. th. they. th. th. they. to, they. to. to. to. t. they. today, they. te. today, their their their th. their their am, Tim, he was telling me, he's like, these are like walking on clouds. You know, really?
No, but you, and you've done everything exceptionally, your philanthropy, all of the work you've done
to help education in Africa. Roger Federer has excelled at everything in life.
What are you most excited about that won't be tennis related? You know, I'm, I feel a little bad at the moment........... I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, th. th. th. thi. thi. thi, and I'm, and I've thi, and thi, and thi, and thi, and you're, and you're, and you're, and you, and you, and you, and you, and the the the, and the, and the, and the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the thi. And, thi. And, thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thr. thr. thr. thr. thr. thr. thr. thr. thean, and thr. thean. thean. the so far I feel really good I mean I might fall off the cliff tomorrow who knows
but I feel really good and the thing is I've told a lot of people who had so
many requests you know while I was still playing like well reach out to me when
I'm retired yes so they have now and so now we've had to say no in a
thousand different messages ways you know unfortunately you I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I they th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they they th the the the the the the thi thi thi thi thou the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the thousand different messages ways, you know, unfortunately, no, still not, you know.
So I feel bad about saying no, but I think I have to take the time to make the next move.
I'm anyway, still very busy.
I mean, I have four children and they mean everything to me.
Two sets of twins.
Twin boys that are eight and twin girls that are 13.
So that needs to be my priority with my w w w w w w w wi to be my to be my to be my to be my priority with my wonderful wife, Mirka, and we...
That's right, she deserves a chair. She does.
Mirka's amazing if you've met her. She really is.
She's been with me every step at away. So, no, so I mean, I'm really looking forward to what's next.
I mean, like you said, I have my philanthropy, I have my partners, I have my business,
and it's going super well and I don't know I
want to see how I maybe stay involved in tennis in some shape before I'm not
sure yet how it's going to go because there's not that many jobs if you want
in tennis like in maybe in soccer or in golf I feel like they have many more
yeah we are either a coach or a commentator right it's a very it's very solitary sport very small yeah so I'll have to see but I that I that I that I that I that I that I th th th that I th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th I will th I will th I will th tho thi thi tho tho. I will th. I will th. I will th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th is th is th is th is th. th. I th. th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi to thi to thi to thi to thi thi to thi thi thi thi thi theeeeeee. I thi thi th, very small. Yeah, so I'll have to see,
but I will always be open to mentor kids and do all that stuff. There is one
thing that you're doing exceptionally right now and that is being an
ambassador for Swiss tourism. I don't know if you've seen the ads. They're
really amazing. Some of the funniest favorites. You know, but I was intrigued by this because I came to Switzerland for the first time on
my comedy tour.
You agree with Roger reached out, which this is this is the kind of person this man is.
This is Roger Federer.
The greatest, you know, tennis players ever live, one of the greatest athletes of all
time. And I get a call when I'm in Switzerland, he goes, he thagagagagagagagagu. th. th. th. th. th. When I'm in th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. R. th. Roger, th. Roger, th. Roger, th. th. Roger, thi. Roger, th. Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, Roger, th. Roger, Roger, th. Roger, Roger, th. Roger, th. Roger, th. Roger, th. Roger, th. Roger, the th. Roger, the the th. Roger, th. Roger, th. Roger, th. Roger, th. Roger, th. Roger, th. th. This is th. This is, th. This is, th. This is, th. This is, th. This is, th. This is, th. This is theee. Roger, thr. Roger, Roger, Roger, th. Roger here. Would you like me to maybe, would you like to go for lunch maybe and talk about Switzerland or would you, can I show you around or can I?
I'm like, can you?
I'm like, can you?
Like, it's so gracious and it's so unassuming up.
Like, it was like, I would expect you for me.
Like, I would expect you for me like, I know you're here and it was great to see you. It was amazing. And your show was unbelievable by the way, it's so good.
And you're one of the best tour guides of Swiss tourism.
No, I learned from you, I put stuff in the show.
And so I'd love to know like...
Those ads were nerve-wracking because, you know, the good thing with the Robert De Niro one is that, I mean, I I I I I I I I I I the the the the the the th, I th, I th, I th – I th – I th – I th – I th – I th – I thin, I was, I thin, I'm, I'm, I'm th th th th th th th thin, I'm thi, I'm th th th th th th th th to to to to to to to to, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th.. thin, I was thin, I was thin, I was thin, I'm to-a. to-a. the to-a. to-a. to-a. to-I th. to-a. to-I to-a. to-a. to-a. th. th. th. the Robert De Niro one is that, I mean, number one, I can't believe he actually did it, which in itself was a victory.
I mean, I'm a huge fan.
And then he shot his first, was during COVID and was like on a call together, you know,
on a video call.
So he had, he had done his before, and then I could just act on what he did. And I obviously could do a hundred takes if I was, and I was, I, they, th, I, th. th. thin, I, thin, thin, I, thin, I, thin, thin, thin, I was, thin, thin, I was, thin, I was, th. th. thi, I was a, I could, I could, thi, thi, thi, thi, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, th... th. th. th. th. thi, thi, thi, thin, thi, thi, thin, thin, thin, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th th th th th th th th th th th th takes if I had to and it was no pressure and he wasn't around.
But I agree, it was actually very creative and it was a good piece, especially his side.
Me, I think you were fantastic.
Not the best.
But then Anne Hathaway, on the other hand, she was sitting next to me when I was doing
the ad.
Was that stressful. Because I hadn very stressful because I hadn't the
script had changed a lot of the times and then I gave up because I knew Anne
was doing her magic and when I showed up the director said I usually shoot in
one piece and like the whole thing yeah one take and then it goes like an
action and literally I had no idea about any of the lines so they
created all these tele prompters for me so I could read off them and the the the the the camera the camera the camera the camera the camera the camera the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the they. their. their. their. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And I was. And then. And then. And I was. And then. And I was. And then. And then. And then. And I was. And then. And then. And then. And I was. And I was. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And then. And takes. And then the. And then the. And the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. takes. the. takes. takes. the lines. So they created all these tele-promptors for me, so I could read off them.
And then the camera would be moving
in front of the teleprompter.
And I'll be chasing the text.
Anyway, I got better over time.
And then Anna was super sweet.
You can have been nicer to me to me.
And then she tell me this.
I don't need to be an actor, I'm not a good actor and I need you to come home and just say,
you know what, Swiss tourism, this was a fun ad, you had a great time and you don't need
to tell me I'm doing well. It just needs to be good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good good and I'm okay with it too. But you were terrible. You're a great ambassador for Switzerland.
You're a great ambassador for the sports of tennis.
And honestly, you're a great ambassador for human beings.
Thank you for everything.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very.
Thank you.
Thank you.
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