Roger Federer pays tribute to Nelson Mandela

After almost two months of quarantine in their respective houses due to Coronavirus, professional tennis players have started training again waiting to know when they can resume the season. Unlike most of his colleagues, Roger Federer has not yet taken up his racquet. The 20-time Grand Slam champion underwent surgery on his right knee last February shortly before suspension. The Swiss Maestro has played only one tournament this year, the Australian Open, in which he reached the semifinal by going out in three sets against Novak Djokovic. Federer's intention was to return to the pitch for the start of the season on grass, hoping to redeem the heinous scoff immediately at Wimbledon last year and win his 21st Slam. The 38-year-old from Basel will have to wait until 2021 to hunt for the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, which have been postponed until next year due to the health emergency. Federer has already communicated his intention to play for at least another year.

Federer on Nelson Mandela

The first ceremony of the Laureus World Sports Awards was held in 2020 and went down in history thanks to the iconic speech of Nelson Mandela. The first president of South Africa after apartheid uttered the famous phrase 'Sport has the power to change the world' on May 25, 2000. On the twentieth anniversary of those words, Roger Federer expressed his displeasure for never having managed to meet 'Madiba'. "I am unfortunate that I have never been able to meet Nelson Mandela. I didn't go back to South Africa for, I think, 10 years after I was there in 2004. I think the last time, maybe, that would have been an opportunity to go and meet him, but it didn't happen" - the former World number 1 said. "So what do I think of him as a person? I think he's been incredibly influential and inspiring on so many levels. My mum is from South Africa. I have the South African passport still myself, and so do my kids. So I feel very connected to the country. He changed the country in a very positive way. So yeah, we can't be thankful enough to him (for) what he has given to the country" - Roger Federer added.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2ZNQ57c