Roger Federer’s career has been filled with many emotions.
However, the legendary Swiss, who has won 20 Grand Slam tournaments and a total of 103 ATP tournaments, was moved to tears during the tribute ceremony on the island of Rhodes. Especially when his 48-year-old wife gave a speech.
The woman called Mirka did not talk about her husband’s victories at Wimbledon, the US Open, or his records on the tennis courts. She spoke about Roger Federer as a person.
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They met during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Mirka Vavrinčová, of Slovak origin, who represented the Swiss tennis team, was 21 at the time, and R. Federer was only 18 years old.
The woman smiled, recalling that her future husband had not yet won a single ATP tournament at that time.
“When we met, Roger had exactly zero titles. Zero,” the woman emphasized. “When I look back, I was there for all 103 tournaments won later.”
Herself a former Top-100 player, but retired from professional tennis in 2002 due to injury, R. Federer’s wife recalled the moment when she found out she was pregnant in 2008. After hearing the news that twins were on the way, she heard an unexpected statement from her husband.
“Without resentment, he said: ‘Then I won’t play anymore,'” the woman recalled. “That’s Roger. Family is always his first priority.”
In 2009, they had twins, but it did not require ending his career. The family went on trips following R. Federer.
They traveled to tournaments together with the girls born in 2009, and later with the twin boys born in 2014, along with strollers, toys, and other items. The children – Myla, Charlene, Leo, and Lenny – knew their father not as a tennis star, but as a caring dad.
Mirka described him as a loving family man, a loyal friend, and from the perspective of other family members, as a wonderful brother and son.
When she finished speaking, tears appeared not only in R. Federer’s eyes but also in those of his parents.
It was time for R. Federer to speak. He hugged and kissed his wife.
“I would need a handkerchief and sunglasses,” joked the emotional legendary Swiss.
Then he spoke emotionally himself. “Mirka is my wife. That is the greatest understatement,” said R. Federer, saying that his beloved stood in for a coach, training partner, critic, and is the most important person in his life.
“Holding hands, we cross borders,” said R. Federer. “She is my hall of fame.”
