Roger Federer is one of the few former players who is still very much revered by the entire tennis community. His undiminishing charisma has made him a tantalizing sponsor for many renowned brands. Despite stepping away from professional tennis, he is still approached by several companies for endorsements. Considering his immense popularity, any brand endorsed by him would see a skyrocket in popularity. Nike, his former sponsor, was able to expand their brand by an immense margin due to the Swiss Maestro. In fact, the former CEO of Nike revealed that Federer was able to earn more than other players on tour, including his rivals, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. 

How Roger Federer towered over other players

The Roger Federer Effect is an autobiography of Federer’s life. The book contains interviews with several people who have been a part of the Swiss star’s meteoric rise. Former Nike CEO Mike Nakajima also features in the book. In one segment, he talked about how the former number 1 managed to earn his peak income during his active years. 

At that time, Nike was lucky to have Federer and Nadal under contract. Their rivalry made the marketing that much better for the apparel company. Nakajima said that the two were friendly individuals, but they were completely different on the court. With Federer moving like the wind and Rafa smashing each shot with ferocity, their rivalry made it easier and more fun for them to market the players. 

“Roger plays like he is walking on a cloud, light on his feet. Rafa is the opposite; his physicality is just brute force. Americans love rivalry, and we portrayed that. People love taking sides. Vamos Rafa! Allez Roger! And we had a lot of fun marketing those two.”

While talking about marketing their rivalry, the former CEO remembered the charm Federer bought to his image. He also said that the mighty Federer could mesmerize viewers in an instant. 

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He remembered an interview in which Federer was able to switch languages seamlessly. Additionally, his open and unabashed personality gravitated people to him. 

“He has great marketability,” said Nakajima. “I saw him speak four languages in a single interview and switch languages just like that. People tend to gravitate towards somebody willing to share himself and be unbashful. He’s able to appeal to any audience. And people believe that he’s saying the truth, whatever Roger pitches. He’s that believable.”

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Adding all the factors, Federer managed to earn a staggering figure of $100 million in one year. He not only towered over Nadal, but earned more than every other player on tour as well. 

Despite retiring, Federer’s image has not diminished at all, as he is still the prime target for several brands. With many more brands looking to collaborate with him, the former player is bound to stay charming for a long time.