‘Energy Artist’ Roger Federer’s Sad Homesick Tale Amid Middle-Class Parents’ Realistic Mindset Is Resounding Proof of His Acquired Humility

While Roger Federer might have had a successful career as a professional tennis player, his journey to stardom has never been easy. Leaving behind everything and starting a new life away from home was filled with challenges. There were instances when the Swiss great even cried after being away from home.

Reflecting on the same, Annemarie Ruegg, Roger’s early mentor at school reflects on the difficulties that he faced as a kid back at school. She reflected on the instances of homesickness and his studies and how it affected his personal growth. However, she also revealed how his new family helped him cope with the problems that he struggled with.

Ruegg reflects on how Roger Federer became homesick but never showed it after being away from home

During his school days in Ecublens, Switzerland, Roger Federer displayed a unique approach to his studies. While he may not have been the most diligent student, his ability to engage with subjects that genuinely interested him was notable. He contributed to text reading and discussions, which helped him progress in the French language. His English proficiency, thanks to his mother, sometimes led to his exemption from lessons. She also described him as an ‘energy-artist‘ as he knew where to invest his energy efficiently and where not to.

Despite his academic and tennis commitments, Federer struggled with homesickness in his initial months in Ecublens. She further revealed that there were many instances when Federer cried but never showed it in front of others. This helped him maintain composure both at school and with his host family, the Christinets. The support and a sense of security provided by this Swiss-German host family, along with the friendship he formed with their son Vincent, helped him cope with homesickness.

‘It was important that he had a good host family in the Christinets, where he felt safe,’ said Ruegg. ‘His parents had chosen them and maintained close contact with them. They didn’t overwhelm him with too high expectations. But they didn’t under-challenge him either. They gave him a certain framework within which he could move. And when they realized that he had exceptional skills, they put all their eggs in the tennis basket.’

Thus, while developing himself as a professional tennis player, there were instances when he had to deal with homesickness and other aspects. However, he never showed them to anyone while being strong and making his way into the tennis scene.

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Federer had a bad-boy image at his school

While Ruegg mentioned that Fed was not the most diligent boy at school, there were instances when she received calls from the school regarding Federer. While he studied the subjects that soothed his interests, he was also found sleeping on occasion in his school.

This further questioned if he was being given too much tennis training which eventually led him to sleep during his classes. But despite this, he managed to juggle between his classes and tennis and eventually managed to make a name for himself. His early struggles helped him as he was able to manage his emotions while working on things that he liked.

Thus, Federer’s childhood was filled with emotions and difficulties. While he struggled with homesickness, there were instances when he dozed off during his classes. However, all of it eventually paid him when he managed to stand at the top with multiple accolades to his name.

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