It’s crazy how players make a mark on fans years after walking away from the sport, or there’s just something different about Roger Federer. Not that it’s a flex but, Federer hardly disappointed his fans. I’ll admit he did that once after announcing his departure from the sport at the Laver Cup in 2022 due to a knee injury that threw him off his prime. However, the Swiss talent has always been a true patron of what the sport stands for – ‘A gentleman’s sport’. The former World No. 1’s humility, tenacity, and courage to take up losses without displaying an ounce of on-court misbehavior was what truly earned him almost everyone’s praises. Now, an avid admirer of his hailed Federer after crossing paths with him in Dubai.

As he tours the world as a global citizen and brand ambassador for brands like Uniqlo, his fans undoubtedly cross paths with him at the most unexpected of places. One such exciting incident occurred when he was dining with his wife Mirka at Jumeirah Al Naseem, a beach resort, in Dubai. A diehard fan, Maria Burda, the Headcoach at the Tennis academy in Humenno, unknowingly met him at the restaurant where he was seated and, as luck would have it, the fan clicked pics with him and hailed Federer in a post he later uploaded on his Instagram.

Notably, he also narrated how he fell in love with the Swiss legend’s athletic prowess: “Today my biggest dream came true. In our hotel together with the legendary #rogerfederer. Ever since I started playing tennis, I grew up on Federer, he inspired me not only as a tennis player but also as a person. He is simply a person with a capital C who was an endless role model for me. There were matches in which he lost and I cried. For me,

he is the greatest personality who shaped me throughout my life in every aspect. Humanity radiates from him at every step, and the older he gets, the more pronounced it is. Even today, he quietly and modestly enjoyed dinner with his wife Mirka. I just have chills even now as I write this(Translated from Slovak).”

Federer has been seemingly granting his admirers’ wishes like a genie this season. After acknowledging snubbing Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon years ago, the veteran made up to him in the most exciting fashion.

Roger Federer attends the Shanghai Masters with Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz has been quite vocal about his admiration of Roger Federer. That chapter needs no rehearsal. After meeting the Swiss Maestro at the Laver Cup, years after he snubbed Alcaraz at Wimbledon – being a teenager with no noteworthy tour-level record lowkey pushed that – the 42-year-old was positive on making amends and commencing a newfound relationship with the young talent.

They met at the Laver Cup and after briefly sidelining the hilarious concern; the duo met once in Shanghai. After the Spaniard washed out of the ATP 1000 Masters event, Federer joined him and his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero to spectate arch-rival Novak Djokovic‘s summit clash against Italian rival Jannik Sinner. Both Federer and Alcaraz likely enjoyed spending time together as they were frequently spotted exchanging light-hearted moments with each other during the showdown.

A week later at the same event, Federer joined the Spaniard for a special practice session that bridged the gap between two generations of greatness. “What am I doing here?” Federer joked to the cameras as he made his grand entrance. The 43-year-old tennis star proved he still has what it takes, trading powerful shots with a 21-year-old sparring partner during a practice session. The ATP Masters 1000 tournament captured the intense workout on camera, as players ripped forehands and backhands in a light workout.

Although Alcaraz was happily chatting with the Swiss legend, he could not conclude the season on a similar note. A sharp drop in form and mental tiredness forced him out of the season-ending ATP Finals and later, hopes of a Davis Cup title also diminished when Spain lost in the quarterfinals and bid farewell to Rafael Nadal in an emotional ceremony in Malaga.