The most famous Swiss athlete is celebrating his 30th birthday today. Roger is celebrating it far from his home town, in Montreal, where, fittingly, the Rogers Cup takes place, his first tournament after Wimbledon and 4 week break. His parents are not with him on this day, but they gave us a big interview and spoke about the 30th birthday of their famous son and the past 30 years.
Lynette and Robert Federer, the joint celebration can not take place because he is in Montreal now.
RF: we had a beforehand celebration party in Zürich, it was a surprise for Roger and he was very happy about it.
What kind of presents one is giving to Roger Federer, who can afford everything?
RF: Sure, it is not a question of a price, important is that the present is something special und original.
LF: I give him things, that he can not get himself. For example, the collection of the articles from “Basler Zeitung” since his first Wimbledon title 8 years ago. This is a present, that nobody can make.
So, the presents are the mother’s business?
LF: No, no, Robert has also good and original ideas. We are very different, our ideas are also very different, but that is nice. It is funny for Roger – mama is doing this, and papa is doing that…
What kind of presents have been when he was younger?
LF: Once I got videocassettes from Wimbledon with Borg and Connors, I knew they were original, not copies. These are very special presents.
What is Roger’s favorite cake?
LF: He likes cakes, e.g. Marblecake. For his birthday I was always baking a chocolate cake and decorated it.
When did you bake the last birthday cake for him?
LF: For his 19th or 20th birthday. We were singing “Happy Birthday” in 12 languages, there were so many people from the different nations at the table.
RF: Roger was singing in Swedish
When Roger is giving something for your birthday, is there some agreement that it is not beyond some limit?
LF: Since Roger was not there on these special days from the age of 14, the exact dates are not too important. He is presenting us something when there is an occasion for that.
RF: This way I got my Harley-Davidson.
LF: We are celebrating things also spontaneously, then there are 20 or 30 people ad hoc together.
How it is going, when you want to attend the tournament?
RF: Generally we are invited to every tournament.
By Roger?
RF: Yes, well, he is not really inviting us, but if I say that I would like to go to Rome for the tournament, then it is no problem.
Did it happen that he didn’t want that you are there?
RF: 1998, when he won a junior Wimbledon title.
Why?
LF: I guess he had some routine and didn’t want to change it. He didn’t want to lose his focus. I was working at Ciba at that time, so I could go only on the weekends. I called him but he said “Everything is going perfect, you don’t have to come”
How was it when he was playing in those days?
LF: We were following the matches on the Liveticker, on the computer, we always had to go to the shop. In the corner there was a PC with the Liveticker
RF: We didn’t have a PC at home at that time
LF: Also the final of the Junior Wimbledon we were following on the Liveticker.
RF: This is a torture. It took ages till the score was changed. One couldn’t stand this almost.
And now, do you have a subscription on the TV, that you are not missing his matches?
LF: Yes, we have it, but can’t see everything despite it. The Master Series 1000 are shown mostly, and the Grand Slams of course, provided we are not at the tournament anyway, but there are matches that are not shown and those that we are missing.
RF: especially because of the time difference. During the Australian Open we don’t get up every time. Sometimes we stay awake the night, but I can’t sleep well when I know he is playing.
Are you nervous in front of the TV?
RF: I am always nervous
LF: We are with him, sometimes we are suffering with him.
Do you remember the day when Roger was born?
LF: It was Saturday
RF: I was playing a tennis tournament in doubles before and after his birth. On Saturday morning he was born, in the afternoon we won the title.
Which time was he born?
RF: about 8:30
How big was he?
LF: 3610 g and he was 54 cm long. He had huge feet (laughing)
How was he as a baby?
LF: Exactly as our daughter he had difficulties to sleep the nights through till he was 2. He was awake very early. Sometimes at 5am he couldn’t sleep any longer. These days have been very long. But still it was easy to take care of him.
He is great at coordination. Did he start walking very early?
LF: at 11 months old.
RF: He could play soccer very early and catch the balls. We always played with him – soccer, table tennis, later squash. There are some nice fotos where he can hardly look over the table playing table tennis.
LF: At the playground we always had a ball with us. We could though the ball to him, and it came back immediately, whereas the other kids were throwing the balls in all directions.
Was there a moment when you realized that you son would become a star?
LF: We’ve been asked that many times. But honestly, we never have seen Roger as a future Wimbledon Champion or a good soccer player as Gerd Müller. Although we knew about his coordinative strengths.
Did you have to sacrifice a lot?
LF: This is own child, one doesn’t consider it as very hard.
How much money did you have to invest in his Career?
RF: Lynette began to work more, to have enough money. When Roger was between 13 and 17 years old, we were spending 30000 Francs for his training. In addition the Tennis Federation supported him.
Did Roger want to pay this back?
RF: This was never a subject. We are anyway quite spoiled by him.
How did you celebrate his birthday when he was very young? Was there some classical children birthday?
LF: He has a nice time for his birthday. In August one can celebrate outdoors. We like to celebrate in the forest – there was a place for the fire, and we had some scavenger hunts and sack races.
What kind of presents did he want as a present?
LF: He liked gameboys.
RF: The biggest present was a mobile phone.
How old was he when he got the first phone?
LF: I think he was 15.
Did he play Gameboy tennis?
LF: No, he liked Super Mario. He also liked to play with the friends on the computer – some Soccer-Manager games of Indiana-Jones game. Later he started to play different sports on the console. He had some very intense icehockey games with Peter Lundgren.
Was he an easy teenager also?
LF: He was a very active child with tons of energy. It was quite stress since he always was looking for the limit. He often tested how far he could go till I would get bugged. But he did it with everyone, he had a lot of endurance in this respect.
One doesn’t know your son like this. On the court he is not a troublemaker, on the contrary!
LF: It was not offence meant. He was so funny, open and charming that it took quite long till I got angry.
RF: Also for the teachers it was not easy.
Did he get some punishment?
RF: He had to collect stones in the garden.
LF: Exactly, in the vegetable garden.
What kind of things Roger didn’t liked as a child?
LF: He never liked homework. I was glad when he finished school. It probably didn’t interested him that much. Therefore I’m surprised how good Roger speaks French. He didn’t liked to learn vocabularies.
Did Roger smoked secretly?
LF: I don’t think so.
RF: I don’t think so either. But we always get to hear stories: How he got chased away from practice or how they have been to the gambling room.
Did he ever came home drunk?
LF: Never. But he didn’t lived with us anymore when he was 14.
RF: Roger has always been staid.
When does Roger need his parents today the most?
RF: When he needs a babysitter (laughs).
LF: He likes to talk with us when he has to make big decisions.
RF: But he isn’t someone who needs the parents the whole time. He already made his own important decisions when he was young – for example when he went to Ecublens into the intensive training centre when he was 14.
What makes you the most proud when you think of your son?
RF: How he gets welcomed worldwide in the stadiums. That’s why I’m mostly early on my seat. The applause for Roger touches me. And of course I was very proud when he won in Wimbledon fort he first time.
LF: I’m extremely proud how he has developed. When he moved out when he was 14 we opened him a chance. He had to find his further way alone.
RF: Or how he now deals with the children. He is incredible gently with them. It’s sometimes not easy with all the travelling.
Is there something which Roger Federer could make better?
LF: It would be easier if he would make decisions sooner. He has to be quick on the court as well.
A late decision was his rejection to play against Kazakhstan in the Daviscup 2010 .
RF: I also didn’t liked how he handled this. But the discussions with Swiss Tennis seemed to be clarifying.
Is there something which you learned from Roger?
RF: (long pause) To drive disciplined. (laughs) He gets sometimes bugged when I don’t keep enough distance.
LF: His ease of mind is great. Not only me but many people can learn from his way how to treat other people.
Robert Federer, what does Roger have from his mother?
RF: When he was young he played the backhand like his mother: Lynette doesn’t have the drive, she also always played with much slice.
And what does he have from his father?
LF: He looks like his father. From the personality he isn’t like Robert at all.
RF: He got the balltalent from me (laughs).
LF: Roger always says that he has the serenity from me and the discipline from his father.
How does he call you today? Does he still say Mom and Dad?
LF: Yes.
And how do you call him? „Rotschi“ like Mirka?
RF: He is „Rotsch“ for us.
When did you have the most palpilation because of Roger?
RF: When he had mononucleosis. There are people who always get this disease back. Fortunately Roger was never really heavy injured.
LF: You have palpilation several times. For example when it went into a 5th set in Wimbledon.
Do you get recognized yourself on the street?
RF: Yes, especially me (laughs)
Do you feel watched during the matches?
RF: During the Australian Open 2009 there was a camera focusing on us. You have to check yourself in those moments. In one of his matches Roger was hitting a really important ball out and I yelled „Damn it!“ Just in this moment the camera was showing me. I immediately received some textmessages where I got addressed on my crude language.
When you lean back: Do you feel sometimes that the last 30 years have been like a dream?
LF: Yes, it is not self-evident what Roger has achieved. It is just great.
RF: I always said: Let’s enjoy these great years. When tougher times should come you can remember those moments. When they write disrespectful about setbacks one should always think back of the time when Roger dominated tennis. The problem is: Everyone wants to be the first one who predicts the end of Rogers career. Therefore with each loss they write about the end. Five times it wasn’t true but maybe it happens with the sixth time.
What apart from health and luck do you wish Roger on his 30th birthday?
LF: Satisfaction.
RF: Also with the family.
No Grand Slam titles?
RF: That would be great, sure. But it gets more difficult. Today he travels and lives with his family. The constellation is different.
Because he doesn't do Becker's fist pump
Today Roger Federer celebrates his 30th birthday. Baz.ch/Newsnetz enumerates 30 reasons why he the top player and the favourite Swiss is.
In fact the Swiss National Day had to be on the 8th of August instead of on the 1st of August because today Roger Federer has a birthday. His compatriots focus their love on him like they do for no other Swiss. Women love his modesty, man love his winner mentality, children love his speciality the hot-dog shot. Roger Federer who becomes 30 today is a phenomenon. His tennis and his personality distinguish him from his competitors. Those who see him play cannot help wishing him to win. When he loses people don't feel like watching. Of course there are many reasons why Roger a top player and favourite Swiss is. We've listed them below.
☆ Because he gives you the impression that he really loves playing tennis (in this relation you start thinking about Pete Sampras's tortured look or Andre Agassi's statement "I deeply hated tennis" )
☆ Because he doesn't do Becker's fist pumping when he wins big points.
☆ Because he is self-confident but he isn't arrogant.
☆ Because he moves with the elegance of a predator on the court.
☆ Because he signs autographs patiently.
☆ Because he is a family man. Otherwise he wouldn't take his kids on the tour.
☆ Because his almost perfect English, sung in a resonant baritone, still has a touch of Swiss accent.
☆ Because when he plays he doesn't groan in contrast to Nadal.
☆ Because he put the serve monsters Roddick and Philipoussis in their places.
☆ Because he breaks records one after another - he won 16 GS titles.
☆ Because he was on the top of the rankings for 285 weeks 237 of which were consecutive (or like they like saying in the Basel tennis circles "de suite".)
☆ Because he looks like Stephan Eichers younger brother. (This is Stephan Eicher http://www.stars-celebrites.com/EICHER-STEPHAN/druckbare-eicher.htm Unfortunately I couldn't find a pic of his younger brother.)
☆ Because he cut his long hair.
☆ Because he is a committed philanthropist.
☆ Because he has been faithful to his wife for ages and she is not a super model but a former tennis player.
☆ Because when it doesn't go well for him during matches he doesn't quarrel with the tennis gods.
☆ Because despite his success he lives in Switzerland and not in Monaco.
☆ Because he didn't sell the first pictures of his children but posted them on facebook.
☆ Because he has a single-handed backhand.
☆ Because he doesn't have super ambitious parents who shortly after his birth organized his first practice session.
☆ Because he plays the DC whenever it is possible. Obviously he enjoys playing for his country.
☆ Because he doesn't shave his chest hair.
☆ Because we know that after him a long long time will pass until somebody comes who can bring us so much joy.
☆ Because he has cool friends like Gwen Stefani und Gavin Rossdale.
☆ Because he dares to cry in public.
☆ Because he is not on Twitter.
☆ Because he feels embarrassed when he changes his t-shirt on the court and fans start squealing.
☆ Because Swiss people can boast of him when they are abroad.
☆ Because he is the perfect ambassador - not least for advertising. Or in other words what would be the Weather Forecast without Roger's balancing act on the edge of the skyscraper? (They must have meant this one lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMRIo8OfAnM
☆ Because he is simply the best.
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