When Roger Federer announced that he and Mirka had become parents to a second set of twins in 2014, the tennis community could think of only one thing. Well, three: Women’s doubles. Men’s doubles. Mixed doubles. The Federer clan would have all three. And with parents who were both professional tennis players – having played mixed doubles at the 2002 Hopman Cup, too – it was like their kids were bound to follow in their professional footsteps. However, on the path to making that happen, Federer is faced with an unlikely opponent.

When Roger Federer discovered tennis as an 8-year-old, we lived in the 20th Century – a world with limited technology and practically no internet or smartphones. It was just him and tennis, and he fell in love with the sport in no time. However, the world has changed, and in this technology-driven age we’re living in, the Swiss Maestro talked about his role as a responsible father. Especially when it involves keeping his children away from the digital world, as too many parents often find themselves doing in the 21st Century.

When asked how he accomplishes that goal, the 20-time Grand Slam champion offered a solution. “I think that by creating a [digitally-driven world], you have to talk to [your children]. You have to talk not only to your children but also to your parents, to your teachers, to everyone, because it’s true. The screen and all that is so extreme.” After his response, the interviewer inquired whether he had reached that stage with his children. 

“No, it’s a big battle every day,” the 42-year-old replied, further explaining his perspective, “I think that going out in nature or playing a sport, it’s the most important. If you think about last week, maybe what gave you the most pleasure, it’s usually nature, or sport, or your friends, but rarely the screen.”

Roger Federer and his wife, Mirka, welcomed their twin daughters, Myla Rose and Charlene Riva, in July 2009. And five years later, the couple had another set of twins, Leo and Lenny. Naturally, after his retirement in 2022, Federer has started focusing more on being an integral part of his children’s lives. But even before his retirement, his kids traveled the world with him and Mirka, watching him play on the biggest of stages. And although he said, “We make them play,” he’s also revealed to have “struggled” to get all four interested in tennis.

In a 2020 interview with ON, Federer admitted, “I have struggled with my children. I have tried to promote tennis at my household with playing a lot of matches against Rafa, Novak, and everybody, but my kids don’t care.” But now that Roger Federer, the player, has retired and gets to spend that much more time with his children, might we see Roger Federer, the coach? Maybe not professional players just yet, but his kids? 

Charlene Riva, Myla Rose, Leo, and Lenny may not have been the biggest fans of tennis to begin with. Federer’s first mission was to get them interested. But now that he has, his next mission is to motivate them to stay away from screens as much as possible – whether to play tennis or even just to admire the world around them. While that might be a tough challenge to overcome, one thing sure has worked in his favor…

Roger Federer’s four kids “love” playing tennis now

Roger Federer initially revealed how his daughters were not interested in playing tennis when they were younger. Understandably, it broke Federer’s heart. He confessed that, after 30 seconds of playing, Myla Rose and Charlene Riva used to get tired of playing tennis. But now, they seem to have gotten over their initial dislike for the game. As for his sons, once they got old enough to properly understand the game, tennis and they have been inseparable. And because of this, the 42-year-old always has hitting partners!

In a recent interview, Federer revealed, “All four kids love it. The girls didn’t love it in the beginning, but as they get better, they’re enjoying it and playing points now. They were up at [John] McEnroe Academy in East Hampton.” This happened last year during their tropical vacation, the same kind of vacation the Federer family loves taking every year. In fact, while his girls trained at McEnroe’s academy, his boys played at his best friend’s establishment during one of their other coastal vacations. “The boys were in Mallorca at the [Rafa Nadal] camp for a couple of days.”

That said, Federer intends to increase their love for sports and steer them away from the world of screens as much as possible. His latest comment on how to bring their attention to the same emphasizes his goal even more.