Watch: Roger Federer combines safari with tennis during incredible African adventure

11/12/2024 08:21 PM

While his former rivals and the young guns chase the ATP Finals crown in Turin, the 20-time Major champion Roger Federer enjoys his time in Africa. The Swiss is visiting his mom's continent, sharing pictures with his fans. Roger enjoyed safari, taking pictures of wild animals and recording his hitting section on a tennis court in the wild.

After competing as a professional for a quarter of a century, Roger ended his tennis journey at the 2022 Laver Cup. The Swiss maestro has enjoyed his life outside the tennis court, traveling worldwide with his wife and four kids while occasionally visiting notable tournaments. Federer claimed three Major titles in 2017 and 2018, stopping the clock and overcoming a knee surgery. The veteran wrapped up the 2019 season in the top 3 behind his biggest rivals, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Roger and Novak battled in that epic Wimbledon final, with the Swiss squandering two match points on serve behind suffering one of the career-worst defeats. Federer lifted four ATP trophies that season, lifting the 103rd and last in Basel. The experienced Swiss made another push at a Major in early 2020, reaching the Australian Open semi-final and falling to Djokovic.

Roger announced knee surgery a couple of weeks later and underwent another in May, wrapping up the season and working on his comeback. Federer returned to action after 14 months, entering the ATP 250 event in Doha in 2021 and playing two matches. The veteran took another break ahead of May and signed to play the home clay-court event in Geneva. He suffered an early loss and went to Roland Garros with no form or rhythm. The 2009 champion in Paris found the desired tempo, notching three victories and advancing into the last 16. Federer prevailed over Dominik Koepfer before withdrawing ahead of the Matteo Berrettini clash, maintaining his knee for the beloved grass season. Roger experienced his earliest Halle exit to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round, feeling pain in his troubled knee and hoping for a miracle at Wimbledon.

As it turned out, an eight-time Wimbledon champion stopped the clock in London, beating four rivals and becoming the oldest quarter-finalist at the sacred tennis courts since the beginning of the Open era. Seeking the semi-final spot, the Swiss experienced a heavy 6-3, 7-6, 6-0 defeat to Hubert Hurkacz, experiencing the first bagel since the 2008 Roland Garros final and playing his last singles duel! Federer missed his chances in the second set and suffered a bagel in the next one, ending his Wimbledon journey in the worst way. Struggling to compete injury-free, Roger underwent the third surgery a few weeks later. The results were not there, and the Swiss maestro decided to end his career at the 2022 Laver Cup. Federer gathered an incredible field, with everyone honoring the living legend of our sport. Roger picked Rafael Nadal as his doubles partner for his final match in a career, with two good friends and legends wasting a match point and losing a tight clash to Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe in a thriller.

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