Roger Federer: 'I'm not sure if we dream this big'

In addition to having achieved countless successes during his glorious career, Roger Federer has been the ideal ambassador of tennis around the world. His elegant game combined with his near flawless public image have made him one of the most popular athletes of any era. The Swiss phenomenon recently appeared in a motivational video sponsored by BecomingX, where he analyzed a huge range of topics. In the first half of the video, the Basel legend recounted his struggles as a junior and paid tribute to his late coach Peter Carter. In the next segment, the 20-time Grand Slam champion emphasized the importance of passion in achieving one's goals. The former World number 1 only played in the Australian Open this year, before undergoing surgery twice on his right knee in the space of a few weeks. The 39-year-old is expected to return to the Australian Open in mid-January, Coronavirus permitting.

Federer on the importance of nurturing your talent 

“Becoming World No. 1 and winning Wimbledon, sort of being the leader of the game in some ways or just a spokesperson for all male tennis players, I don't take it for granted,” Roger Federer said. “I really appreciate it because for me heroes are really important,” Federer continued. “You know I had Stefan Edberg, Pete Sampras, Boris Becker and Michael Jordan. I have a chance to give back, a chance to inspire.” The five-time US Open champion pointed out that it is difficult to harbor too high tennis ambitions while growing up in Switzerland. The country is known to be conservative and academic-centric, which makes sporting success tougher to come by. “I'm actually not quite sure exactly why I succeeded as much as I did,” Federer continued. “You don't aim for 20 Grand Slams. You don't aim for World no. 1 anyway, not in my world, not in my normal upbringing in Switzerland. I'm not sure if we dream this big, you know. It's not something that happens quickly or easily. If you're passionate about what you're doing, keep going, keep believing, reach for the stars,” Federer said. “Surround yourself with the right people and if you really go for it.” During his late teens and early 20s, Roger Federer was often accused of letting his natural gifts go to waste. But the Swiss learned his lesson quickly enough, and now believes that talent can be nurtured when your mind and body are in sync. “One thing I do believe in is not wasting your talent,” Federer asserted. “You can always control like your mind and your fitness I feel.”

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2GQ0Izk