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NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan Was Once Blown Away at the US Open After Watching Tennis Legend Live: “I’m Fascinated With How Smooth He Looks”

Published 09/04/2022, 4:30 PM EDT

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Michael Jordan is one of the biggest sports personalities of all time. He was the best at what he did i.e, playing basketball and he knows what it takes for a person to reach that level of excellence. Though it is not easy to impress the six-time NBA champion, he was left in awe at the US Open.

Tennis legend Roger Federer has mesmerized people for a long time now. The 20-time Grand Slam champion is widely regarded as the greatest of all time. Likewise, Michael Jordan is held to similar standards in basketball. The admiration between the two of them is natural and mutual stemming from their greatness.

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Michael Jordan was a spectator at the US Open in 2014 for a match between Roger Federer and Marinko Matosevic. He was interviewed during the match and he revealed how different it was to watch the tennis great live than watching him on TV. He said, “Honestly, I think he’s looked so smooth.”

Jordan continued, “I’d seen him on TV, I’ve seen a lot of tennis on TV, but you never really understand how smooth, and how relaxed, and how fundamentally sound that he can make this game look“. There was a moment in the game when Federer hit a tweener which drew impressed ‘His Airness’.

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MJ and Federer had collaborated to release Nike Zoom Vapor Tour AJ3. The Chicago Bulls legend was watching tennis live for the first time. He said, “I’m fascinated with how smooth he looks, he looks good in the shoes without a doubt, but he makes the shoes look a lot better.

Michael Jordan and Roger Federer are two GOATs

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While Federer would go on to lose in the Semi-Final that year, he later managed to become the first man to win 20 Singles Grand Slam titles. On the other hand, Jordan won six NBA championships in the 90s. His Chicago Bulls completely dominated that decade and they achieved two three-peats.

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What particularly stands out from those victories is the fact that Jordan won the Finals MVP each time. On top of various All-Star nods, scoring titles, and All-NBA recognitions, this cemented his legacy as the greatest.

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Although there are people who have won more than both Federer and Jordan, their legacies are intact. The impact of both these legends will forever remain unparalleled.

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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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