When Roger Federer made his comeback to Wimbledon in 2025, there was just something special in the air at SW19. The eight-time champion dropped by the Royal Box during the Round of 16, showing up with his wife, Mirka, among a mix of tennis legends and current stars. The Swiss icon showed up in a sharp suit and dark sunglasses, fitting right into the classy Wimbledon vibe.

But he definitely caught everyone’s eye and got some applause as he took his seat to watch Novak Djokovic and Alex de Minaur on Centre Court. That moment really showed why Federer is still such a beloved figure in tennis, even years after he retired in 2022.

Roger Federer’s return brought a sense of nostalgia and respect to the tournament, but it also offered more than just the allure of a star. For young talents like 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, seeing Federer live in the audience really made the Grand Slam stage feel real.

On X, as seen on The Tennis Letter’s post, the Russian tennis star shared her honest thoughts after the match against Emma Navarro, saying, “Yeah, honestly, it’s something crazy. I was super nervous before playing first time on the center court. I really tried my best not to look over there in the box because I knew that as soon as I would look there I would just completely lose my focus and so did I at 4-1. I saw Roger and Mirka, so honestly it means a lot to me that you came and watched my match. I don’t know, it’s been one of my dreams to see you in real life.”

Right after that, the crowd erupted in cheers. For sure, this was a really proud moment for Andreeva. A young tennis star watched one of her idols cheer for her, that too at Wimbledon. The 18-year-old said, “So yeah, when I saw both of you I got really, really nervous but I’m just super happy that I managed to keep playing focused and just wanted to say real quick, Mirka, you look very pretty. I really like your outfit.”

Andreeva sparkled on Centre Court during the Round of 16, taking down Navarro in straight sets, 6–2, 6–3. She quickly brought her aggressive game into play—hitting deep, powerful groundstrokes. You know, aside from all the crazy action we saw on the court today, the tennis world is always going to remember that epic Wimbledon showdown between Federer and Djokovic.

When Roger Federer faced a massive setback

It was a day that rarely any veteran tennis fan would ever forget in their life, and it’s already been six years since that particular Wimbledon final in 2019. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic faced off in the longest final ever in the tournament’s history—an incredible match that went on for nearly five hours.

So, the Swiss legend was super close to snagging his ninth Wimbledon title, and he even had two championship points while serving at 8–7 in that final set. Djokovic battled back, saving those match points, and in the end, he clinched the title 13–12 in the very first fifth-set tie-break at Wimbledon.

Indeed, Federer was so close to victory, but then it all fell apart in one of the most intense losses of his incredible career. After that loss, he mentioned, “I feel great, I gave it all I had. I’m still standing. I’ll take some time to recover.”

Djokovic, still buzzing from his win, expressed his feelings, saying, “If not the most exciting and thrilling finals of my career, in the top two or three and against one of the greatest players of all time. As Roger said, we both had our chances. It’s quite unreal to be two match points down and come back – and a bit strange to play the tie-break at 12-all.” Both legends were really at the top of their game, and that match definitely set a benchmark in the tennis world.