“You are not my coach!”: Roger Federer Says Kids Ask Him Not to Interfere With Their Tennis

Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer has shared how his children are starting to get the hang of the game that made their father a modern-day icon.

Pandemic, surgery enabled Roger Federer to play tennis with his kids

In an interview with Swiss magazine Schweizer Illustrierte, Federer revealed that the pandemic and his forced break from on-court action due to a knee surgery afforded him enough time to play tennis with his children.

A father of four, Federer’s children are now grown up enough for a doubles game in his backyard. He added that when it’s with family and children, tennis is always fun.

When Federer’s kids ask dad to stay off their tennis

Federer added that all his children play tennis, to the extent that they would often ask their father not to interfere with their game.

“We played quite a lot this year. The good thing is, you can always find ways to make it fun. The problem with tennis is that it takes time to get right into it. Then it’s fun,” Federer said.

The Swiss star admitted now that all four of his children – Myla Rose Federer, Lenny Federer, Leo Federer and Charlene Riva Federer – are all grown up enough to pick up tennis racquets, they can go for longer rallies.

“Now all four have arrived where they can play a longer rally. Meanwhile they also ask me if I come to play. At the beginning it was said: ‘You’re not my coach! Dad doesn’t have to interfere in the game’. So I said, ‘Okay, do it the way you feel is right. At some point you might have to come to me or mommy,” Federer said.

(Quotes have been translated via Google)

Recovery delays Federer’s return date

The Swiss star was recently voted the best athlete in his homeland in the last 70 years. 

Read More: “I was the active one”: Roger Federer Explains His New Job During the Lockdown

Receiving the piece of honor at the Sports Awards, Federer said he wasn’t sure of participating at the Australian Open next year as his recovery from the knee surgery is still behind schedule.

However, he added that deferment of the year’s first Major would give him some weeks to work on his fitness and make himself available for the event.

The start of the Australian Open was eventually postponed to February 8.