Parental advice often falls on deaf ears. Being coached by the legendary Roger Federer is a dream come true for any budding tennis player. But that is not exactly the case for his own children. In the past, Federer talked about the parenting he received, when he was given an ultimatum that changed his entire life and the soul of the very sport.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner sat down for an exclusive interview with CNN. In a surprising revelation, Federer shared that even champions face parental resistance. Despite his remarkable success in the sport, it seems the role of a father transcends his incredible career.

Children of Roger Federer ignore tennis tips from the Maestro

Federer cheekily acknowledged the truth that no matter how many Grand Slam titles one has under their belt, parental authority only holds limited sway. When asked about coaching his children, who have shown a keen interest in tennis, Federer humbly replied, “You know, I’m not the coach, I’m the dad. The dad’s advice, as we know, only goes so far. It doesn’t matter if you’ve won Wimbledon or not; you’re still the dad.”

Federer also revealed that his sons, Leo and Lenny, have been showing a strong interest in sports in general. He shared that he likes that his sons are getting more into tennis than his daughters. When asked why he felt that way, Federer revealed that he didn’t want his children to get into tennis, primarily because of one reason.

When they were younger, Federer was traveling all the time and couldn’t give them proper attention. This isn’t the first time Roger Federer has made his tennis teaching struggles public. Talking about his parents in a different interview, it seemed Roger’s parents had it all under control with just one ultimatum.

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Federer on his parent’s parenting style and the ultimatum that changed his life

From a young age, Federer’s parents recognized his passion for tennis and offered him substantial financial support to pursue his dreams. In an interview with Die Zeit, Federer revealed, “My parents spent around 30,000 Swiss (around $33,400) francs a year to pay for my tennis training. But they were skeptical about my ability to become a professional player.” Despite their doubts, his parents made a significant investment in his training, demonstrating their unwavering support for their son’s aspirations.

Federer, determined to prove himself, faced a pivotal moment at the age of 16. He approached his parents with the proposal of leaving school to focus entirely on tennis. His father, perhaps mindful of the challenges ahead, issued an ultimatum: two years to achieve success. If Federer failed to establish himself as a professional player, he would be required to return to his studies.

At the end of the two-year ultimatum, he emerged as World No. 1 in junior. The mind truly boggles whilst thinking about it, as if Federer’s parents hadn’t given him that ultimatum, the entire sport of tennis would’ve missed out on watching a maestro being molded and born.

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