Simon Cambers - The Roger Federer Effect

First published by Pitch Publishing, 2022

Pitch Publishing

A2 Yeoman Gate

Yeoman Way

Durrington

BN13 3QZ

www.pitchpublishing.co.uk

Simon Cambers and Simon Graf, 2022

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Print ISBN 9781801504478

eBook ISBN 9781801504805

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THE SWISS has captivated audiences ever since he first hit the headlines as the Wimbledon boys champion and a junior world No 1, progressing at speed to become one of the greatest players ever and dominating mens tennis with a seemingly effortless playing style which many have tried to emulate, to no avail.

In a career that spanned four decades, Federer won 20 Grand Slam titles, including eight at Wimbledon, collected more than 100 tournament victories worldwide and thrilled crowds all over the planet as he became the most popular player of his or any generation.

How has he done it? Through more than 40 exclusive interviews, we tell his story in a new way, through the eyes of those whose lives he has impacted the most and those who shaped and experienced him early on. From his biggest rivals, like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who made him improve again; to his childhood friends; to his coaches, like Sven Groeneveld and Paul Annacone, who helped to steer him on the right path; to his peers.

His super-fans explain why they have changed their lives to follow Federer, spending thousands of pounds to follow him all over the world. We learn how he turned from a goofy, pony-tailed talent into a man with so much style many call him James Bond.

Above all, this is the story of how Federer transcended sport to become a true icon and why so many people, from other sports and from all walks of life, including politics, music and film, were inspired by him and want to be close to him.

In talking to those whose lives he has touched, in so many different ways, his sheer joy for playing tennis, even into his 40s, shines through.

It is a love that has never wilted. It helped him become one of the best tennis players in history and it has impacted the lives of millions more.

AT THE origin of every great sports career is play. Those who love to play as children will also want to express themselves creatively later on, in very different ways. Playing is invaluable. You may do it even as an adult.

Young Roger loved playing anything that involved a ball. When his head was barely higher than the table, he played table tennis, then tennis, football, squash, basketball. His favourite playmate became Marco Chiudinelli, whom he met during tennis training and shared with him the joy of playing, the urge to move and the desire to compete. They kept on playing when everyone else had already gone home. They also played for hours on the PlayStation or PC.

Federer dreamed of Wimbledon at a young age, even though he found a nemesis in Danny Schnyder early on. His first rival prepared him for the later challenges of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Schnyder never turned pro, but he achieved what Nadal and Djokovic never managed to do.

As a teenager, Federer was introduced to the tough professional world by Marc Rosset and Wayne Ferreira, among others. Rosset was happy to welcome another Swiss to the ATP Tour. Ferreira, as a South African Federers second home felt like a mentor to him. The two were also there for him in his darkest hours when he was first confronted with death.

Wrestler Urs Brgler gave a helping hand at the Sydney 2000 Olympics when the shy Roger didnt know whether to make the first move on Mirka. Thats what friends are for.

As childhood friends, Marco Chiudinelli and Roger Federer were at times inseparable. Their friendship lasts to this day, and Chiudinelli can still remember a lot from their carefree youth. They were eight or nine when they first met. The Association of Tennis Clubs of Basel and Surroundings organised a weekly training session for the most talented juniors. We were a mixed bunch, ten or 12 kids. But I only remember Roger, Chiudinelli said. We clicked right away.

The training sessions took place at the Van der Merwe Center in Allschwil, a centre for racquet sports, fitness and health. After the practices, when the three tennis courts were occupied again, Marco and Roger continued to let off steam on the squash court. At first, we played with our racquets and tennis balls, Chiudinelli recalled with a smile. They were spiking wildly like in a pinball machine. At some point, we got a squash ball from the reception and played with it. But it wasnt perfect either. We kept hitting the wall with the big tennis racquets. At Christmas, we got squash racquets from our parents, and then it went better.

The urge to move and play and their sporting ambition united the two, who otherwise would hardly have met. At least, not so early. Although their birthdays are only 33 days apart (Roger is older), they did not go to school together. At that time, the Chiudinellis lived in the centre of Basel near the zoo, the Federers in Mnchenstein. Not a round-the-world trip, but still a few kilometres away.

Marco and Roger showed so much talent that their joint training sessions soon became more. In a now more exclusive group, they were allowed to train three times a week: Marco, Roger and Frank Frey, the son of the president of the association. Those training sessions brought Roger and me closer together. Thanks to tennis, we now met three times a week. Our parents were happy that we had fun together and were out and about in the neighbourhood as a team of two. That calmed them down.

At that time, they also played their first official match against each other at the Bambino Bren Cup in Arlesheim. It was played to nine games and I won 9-7, Chiudinelli said, remembering very clearly. In the beginning, he was down 5-2 and was comforted by his friend, then he took the lead and had to build Roger up mentally. But that didnt help anymore. That victory against Federer was to remain the only one for Chiudinelli in an official match. It was the semi-final, and in the final he lost to Enzo Aresta, Chiudinelli recounts, adding jokingly: That defeat still torments me today.