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“It Was Good for the Pictures”: 20-Time Grand Slam Champion Roger Federer Was Ecstatic After Giving His Best LeBron James Impression

Published 08/11/2022, 7:30 AM EDT

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LeBron James and Roger Federer transcend their respective sports. They are arguably two of the greatest athletes of all time. While James has dominated the NBA for almost two decades now, Federer raised the level of tennis and became the first man to win 20 Grand Slams. A few years back, Federer appreciated being compared to James by an interviewer.

Back in August 2014, LeBron had just re-signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Meanwhile, Federer was busy preparing for the US Open. Federer hit a leaping overhead smash at the Western & Southern Open in Ohio. After the match, an interviewer compared his leap to that of Ohio native, James.

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Roger Federer laughed and said, “Yeah, no, I’m happy you liked it, I liked it, too“. He continued, “Yeah, I got some hang time there. I was like, ‘Wooo’. It was good for the pictures.

I would have liked to put my knees up more but I didn’t want to miss the smash and look like a fool in the end. Preferred to be in a straight line and keep balance and make the smash. I clocked it well!“, the 20-time Grand Slam Champion exclaimed ecstatically.

via Getty

LeBron James is considered to be one of the most gifted athletes of all time. His agility and speed at his size are certainly mind-boggling. Federer was obviously as surprised as he was happy to be compared to the four-time NBA champion.

Roger Federer and LeBron James are in the twilight of their careers

Although Federer last won a Grand Slam in 2018, there are still hopes that the 41-year-old will return from a long injury lay-off and compete for the biggest titles again. Time is arguably running out for the Swiss international and he has already seen two of his greatest rivals surpass him in the number of Grand Slams won.

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On the other hand, LeBron James last won an NBA championship in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers. While it still feels he has a long way to go, James’ athleticism has arguably dropped off compared to a few years ago. There is still hope that the 37-year-old will make at least one more strong push to win championship number five.

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USA Today via Reuters

Both Federer and James have defined eras in tennis and basketball, respectively. They are not just great sportsmen, but they are great people who have done immeasurable things for sports in general. They are true role models and their legacies will definitely live on for a long, long time.

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Fans can only try and enjoy the two greats for as long as possible. There likely won’t be many athletes like them in our lifetimes.

Do you think these two sporting legends are the GOAT of their respective sports? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Pragya Vashisth

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Pragya is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Having completed Masters in Sports Management from the International Institute of Sports Management, Mumbai, he has been a passionate fan of the NBA since 2010. Pragya is a massive supporter of LeBron James and just wants to enjoy the twilight years of his Hall of Fame career.
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Edited by:

Veer Badani