Over the past few days, Roger Federer has been in the news for his grand appearance at the Shanghai Masters. Last week, he was present at the tournament in a wonderful surprise for the local fans. A three-time champion here, Shanghai has held a special place in Federer’s career. Additionally, he has drawn an emotional bond with fans there over the years. Last week, he was honored with the Icon Athlete Award, commemorating the Swiss maestro’s glorious achievements during his illustrious career. Amid this, Federer reminisced about an emotional tale about this place.

The Swiss maestro had been a regular presence at the Shanghai Masters since his early days. He was widely cheered as he enthralled fans there with his audacious displays. Here’s why he got emotional about this venue.

Roger Federer reminisces special connection with Shanghai

Recently, the 20-time Grand Slam champion was featured in the ATP Tennis Radio Podcast. During this episode, he opened up on a variety of subjects like Carlos Alcaraz’s rise and his rivalry with Rafael Nadal. Additionally, he also went on to reveal his special connection with Shanghai.

Talking about the fans in Shanghai, he said, “They are patient so they can wait for you anywhere – at the club, at the hotel, in the basement of the hotel. And they don’t mind waiting.”

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Further, he went on to add, “I will never forget when I was here for the very first few times for the World Tour Finals and I was tired, night session matches, and I would not come out of the hotel until 4 PM and Mirka would go out and grab coffee. She would tell them, ‘No no Roger is not going to be here until 4 PM, so you can go, you don’t have to wait in front of the hotel.’ They were like, ‘No no, he is never here. He is only here once a year. We are happy to wait.” 

Reminiscing about the times when he got a special goodbye from the fans, an emotional Federer revealed, “I went straight to the airport, went back, trying to get, obviously, ready for, I think Basel, I believe it was that year as well. And there must have been like a 100 people at the airport. All waiting for me singing a song like, “Oh we can’t wait to see you next year. We hope to see you again’ with like tears in their eyes, and I was like, Oh my God’.”

Federer returned to Shanghai after four years. He last played at the tournament back in 2019 where he lost in the quarterfinals. During his recent visit, he was surprised by the developments there.

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Federer receives a welcome surprise in Shanghai

Arriving in the city after a huge gap, the Swiss maestro was taken by surprise by the developments there. While he reunited with his fellow players and revisited the tournament venue, he pointed out some noticeable differences, like the transformation of the gym. The former World Number 1 found the change a value addition to the venue, as it was much needed for the players.

Further, he also went on to mention the availability of a warm-up spot for full sprints. Although it wasn’t his preferred pre-match routine, other players took full advantage of it.

With all these modifications and facilities, it is no surprise that the Shanghai Masters is one of the top tennis tournaments on the calendar. Every year, it draws top players and thousands of fans to the tournament, making it a true tennis spectacle to watch out for!

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