Roger Federer - Tennis Legend | The Daily Show
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 you have for over two decades now in many ways defined a sport you've defined how people see it you've defined how people try and play it you are a move I don't 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 do they play it you've become Larger than Life and now it has all come to an end before we talk about the end let's talk about what it was when you look back no I'm I want to talk about that one just when when you look back did you know from the beginning did you have an income did you look in the mirror and go like oh I'm gonna switch this up uh no no I did not know it was gonna turn out this good um uh I mean in Switzerland we don't dream this big you know we we hope to we hope to be good but not a great and uh 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 um 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 of Wimbledon right and they paved the way for me a little bit to to show me that it was possible and then yeah people were saying I could be the next Pete Sampras and I was talented and all that stuff but you feel like they always say that you know at some point and I never thought I was going to have this great of a career so I I couldn't be more 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 you first and I think about somebody like Peach who who is a legend in the sports you know who defines 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 that he got sort of tired of the sports and you know he was he was a champion he was but you had this drive and this class about you that that nobody understood you're you're a multi-generational talent as well because the the 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 would love to know how you how you found that drive how did you keep on going what inspired you even when you had one at all it's a it's a good question and you know when I was growing up I had uh 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 at the top for so long and have that drive now people ask me how did you do with them like well it's normal you just go out there you do it again and you try to win and again and it's fun and so you keep doing it and everybody 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 it blasts and I really felt like I squeezed out that lamb until the last drop and I tried my very best in the end and it was it was incredible and um I needed the likes of Pete samples you know to also show me uh how it is at the top and it's tough you know but I feel like I made 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 of an amateur twist to it a bit worried that every sport is going into such a pro professional Direction which I hope we don't lose the fun in it yeah yeah you you know that's one of the biggest things that has struck me about you in meeting you as a human being and and many people will say this about about you you'll meet many athletes who have dominated a sport the sport is their life it doesn't feel like that for you it feels like the sport is a huge part of your life but Roger Federer is still Roger Federer 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 analytical yeah more so more analytics in the game sports science is also coming in hard um it's it's okay um it's 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 you know and I probably I did some of it for other players or for a lot of them and now others are showing it how how it's done you know and of course we live in a very statistic based world we love our statistics and we love breaking records and who's the greatest and all that stuff so you 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 like what's when are you gonna win the next Grand Slam like what's your next win instead of actually enjoying it and it's a bit of a problem I think we 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 um several several it was good I'd love to talk to you about that when when people regard an athlete as the greatest of all time oftentimes they're only referring to what the athlete has done you know 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 Rafa comes along and beats that with 21 then Novak comes along and beats that we're 22 and And yet when you talk to them they say Roger Federer is who we're aspiring to and he defines how we're trying to play it so I'd love to know you know is it is it a little bit irritating that they're using you to beat your record or or does it struck 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 no look I 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 uh to now show who they are without that feather halo effect me being around and especially younger generation that we're not allowed to say uh I want to win the US Open because they were told oh you can't say that because you don't know back 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 uh I think um you know the the end was uh very emotional and to be actually uh on such a great um sort of a friendship really with 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 locker room we share the same restaurants we usually get put in the same hotels so we see each other all the time and we even practice together you know that's something I 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 you would think so practice with each other I always go like you know I think of like Kung Fu movies as a kid I don't want you to know my my secrets I don't want to know my tricks and yet you would hit with each other that's why I ended up not practicing very much with Novak and Rafa anymore okay okay okay that makes sense not so much with those guys they would stand for instance and there's a camaraderie that you achieve for instance many were shocked especially people who don't watch Tennis to see when you know when you were saying goodbye to the sports so many people were sad because I think for many myself included we felt like we were robbed of you know the last few years Covert robbed us of so much in our personal lives you know in in societal Labs 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 not to us it did you know enough for me your knees are telling a different story but but then you know there's there's that amazing video of the players saying goodbye to you yeah and it's this clip of you and and Rafael Nadal crying we're all crying you are crying you are in tears you're balling together yeah 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 um so I think that changed the whole dynamics of my farewell if you want then um my My Hope was I could play doubles with Rafa so call him up after the US Open and it was a very emotional uh phone call actually because it was one of the first times I told somebody outside of my um team and 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 good anymore and I 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 um he's now become my father I'm so happy yeah and uh we were not we were not sure if he was going to make it you know because of the baby so um it was one of the first times I had to tell that story and come to terms like the career is ending so when he showed up and Novak was there Murray was there and uh bjornborg 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 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 clothes and not like this because that was my in my vision was going to be a beautiful horror show you know for me 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 too where I had so much success and uh and labor cup was beautiful and and the Rafa there holding my hand briefly people thought it was I held his hand actually it was amazing you know you you're going to have and you will always be synonymous with the sport that you you as I said you you know you cannot separate Roger Federer from the sport itself now and and yet I was shocked to hear a story which I don't know if it was true or not you know I was like Roger Federer everyone in tennis you cannot the name is synonymous with the sport you kind of rush and then someone was like well you know Roger couldn't get into Wimbledon recently I was like wait wait that's not possible is Roger Federer is this is this a true is there even a seminess of Truth to you yeah yeah wait no no I need to understand why it was actually two weeks ago so I was in Tokyo um for uh our response my sponsor Uniqlo and I came back to Wimbledon actually to London to come see a doctor for having a second opinion on my knee because my knee's 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 on the watch okay we got two hours to to kill so what are we going to do do we head to the airport or let's quickly go have tea at Wimbledon of course so I'm like let's go um but I have not really been at Wimbledon when the tournament is not on so okay so I drive up to the gate um 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 seven I tell him I quickly go out and speak to the security lady you know I got this you know and then I I did not so so then I get out and I'm like yes hello um I'm just was wondering how I can get into Wimbledon uh you know where where is the door where's the gate and she's yeah yeah you have a membership card I'm like uh we have one I don't because when you win Wimbledon you become a member automatically okay yes and I I honestly I don't know about membership cards they're probably at 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 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 and normally I'm here so I I have to start again right so I tell her normally when I'm here I'm playing and uh there's loads of people and I come in in a different way and now it's the first time I'm not here I'm yeah well the term is not on and I don't know where 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 I'm in a panic now and I'm I'm so sorry and I couldn't believe I still can't believe I say that and because I still feel bad about it and I'd look at her and it's like I have won this tournament eight times please believe me I am a member and where do I get in so I'm like okay um it was so so then yeah so I get back in the car my coach is like oh good where do we get in I'm like don't don't don't talk so I'm like let's go up and around the gate so she doesn't let you in no so wow okay so then I go out and I go around on the other side so I get out of the car and this random person walks uh you know on the walkway yeah I said Oh Mr Federer I can't believe you're here at Wimbledon like can we take a selfie I'm like yes let's take a picture and and to secure at 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 again of course we'll open the door let me organize it and I walk in and the chairman was there and everybody and then I was having tea for an hour and I thought of going over to the other side and giving a wave that I was in but but I didn't do it you'd never do that but it was you'd never do that it was terrible you would never do that you see that's what I mean that's that's that's the Roger Federer when I said I want to Wimbledon eight times for a split second I wasn't sure if it was eight anymore because I would I thought it was this seven was it eight I don't know but I said it because I never talk like this so yeah you know what I love that both of you in that situation because on on your side you never talk like that you're never that person I've bumped I've been with you in places where somebody for some reason doesn't recognize you and you don't respond as if they should recognize you're not that person exactly but on herself I believe she deserves a raise she was Gangsta about it she was doing it yeah I mean you know you know how it goes sometimes absolutely where's the membership card where is your name where's your picture you don't have it I'm sorry I like that yeah that was good it was good you know um what I've enjoyed about about knowing you is we we have so many things in common you you may not know this as an audience but uh you know like Roger and I we have many things in common we uh we both we both uh are half Swiss half South African that's right yeah we we both speak multiple languages we both played at the the record holding you know I think it's a little bit we both play tennis right we both play tennis we do we do uh here's the world record for the highest attendance for the tennis match that we might still hold it yeah I mean I played for 20 plus years right but to break the record you know I need it I needed you you needed help yes I don't think without me you know we we lost 20 grand slam titles it's crazy um but and you know in many ways you know 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 that people have defined just one thing for so long you've talked about how how hard the idea of moving on yeah has been the idea of what you will do when tennis isn't your life but I've noticed that you you've almost seamlessly slid into everything you know your your clothing is everywhere your shoes you know like one one of my that one of my camera guys on the team Tim he was telling me like these are like walking on clouds 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 feel a little bad at the moment because I mean it's been super easy transition so far I feel really good I mean I might fall off the cliff tomorrow who knows but uh I feel really good and uh the thing is I've told a lot of people who have so many requests so you know while I was still playing like well reach out to me when I'm retired yes so they have they've now and so now we've had to say uh no in a 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 the next move I'm anyway still uh 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 wonderful wife mirka and we that's right she deserves a chance she does because Mika's amazing if you've met him every step of the way so um no so I mean I'm really looking forward to what's next I I mean like you said I have my philanthropy I have my apart with my sponsors I have my business and uh it's going super well and um uh I don't know I 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 interesting yeah we're either a coach or a commentator right it's very solitary it's very small yeah so I'll have to say but I will always be open to 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 no they really are some some of the funniest ads you know you did one with Anne Hathaway that was pretty amazing Robert De Niro was one of my favorites you know but I was I was I was intrigued by this because I came to Switzerland for the first time on my comedy tour right Roger reached out which this is this is the kind of person this this man is this is Roger Federer the greatest you know tennis players ever lived one of the greatest athletes of all time and I get a call when I'm in Switzerland he goes I know you're 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 like it's so gracious and it's so unassuming of like it would like I would expect before and be like I know you're here you're going with me but no Roger fair is like if you would like maybe I can you know it was amazing it was a show was unbelievable and you're one of the best tour guides of of Swiss tourism no I I learned from you I put stuff in the show and and so I'd love to know those that Those ads were not uh nerve-wracking because uh you know uh the good thing with uh 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 and then he shot his first was during covert and was like everyone on a call together you know on a video call so he had had done his before and then I could just act on what he did so and I obviously could do 100 takes if I had to and it was no pressure and he wasn't around so but it I agree it was actually very creative and it was a good a good piece especially his side me um not the best but then but then Anne Hathaway on the other hand she was sitting next to me when I was uh doing the um uh the ad and was that stressful yes that was very stressful because I 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 um the director said I usually shoot him one piece and like what do you mean in one piece here 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 teleprompters for me so I could read off them and then the camera would be moving in front of the teleprompter and I was chasing the text anyway I got better over time and then Adam was super sweet she could have been nicer um to me and uh and then she tells me at one point towards the end she's like you know Roger you have improved so much during the shoot and you're doing so good you're improvising incredibly well and I look at her I was like you don't have to tell me this I I 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 a great time and you don't need to tell me I'm a I'm doing well right right it just needs to be good for you I'm fine don't worry I can be terrible and I'm okay with it too terrible you were great you're a great Ambassador for Switzerland you're in Greater a great Ambassador for the sport of tennis and honestly you're a great Ambassador for human beings thank you for everything you've done everybody [Music] [Applause] [Music]
2022-12-08 21:53
