A Decade After Their Last Encounter, American Tennis Legend Spills The Beans on Roger Federer’s Divergent Personalities

Roger Federer has spread the name of tennis to every household. His zealous drive to secure victory in his matches complemented by his chivalrous and gentle nature has made him the crowd’s favorite. Adding to the love of the crowd, Federer made a place for himself in the hearts of his rivals too. Recently, James Blake, a former American tennis player shed light on his zealous yet caring nature on the court.

Federer is one of the sporting athletes who has set a benchmark as to how a sportsperson should behave. Portraying the same, Blake dictated how Federer once cared for him, despite being rivals.

How did Roger Federer melt the heart of his rival James Blake?

The American tennis player James Blake left a legacy behind before retiring from the tennis realm in 2013. Now that his rival, Roger Federer also bid farewell to the sport last year, he shared some wholesome moments that he had with the Swiss Maestro.

In The Pure Tennis Podcast, Blake talked about the zealous nature of Federer. He stated, “Once you get on the court, he wants to win every match.” However, that did not supersede his admiration and concern for his rivals. Blake stated, “But I also think when I did finally beat him at the Olympics, I swear, he was genuinely happy for me said hey, go ahead and win this whole thing.”

At Blake’s comeback, Federer melted his heart with his words. Blake dictated, “And when I was coming back, after I hurt myself, got injured, got sick, and was coming back and he beat me again.” Furthermore, he said, “But he was like,  man, it’s great to see you back. We want you back to full strength, we want you back on tour and ready to, you know, ready to compete at this level. He was so nice and genuine.”

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However, this is not the only time the Swiss Maestro has empathized with his rival. Even when he saw his arch-rival Rafael Nadal struggling, he wished for him to get well soon.

When Federer was worried about Rafael Nadal 

It was the year 2009, a year that is probably one of the most defining ones of Federer’s life. He won his first and only French Open title. He was elated and did not have to worry about anything.

However, when he saw his arch-rival Rafael Nadal struggling because of an injury, he was worried. He was shocked and concerned about his withdrawal from that year’s Wimbledon.

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Which side of Federer’s personality do you like the most? the competitive one or the caring one? Let us know in the comments below.