13 September 1981 was a turning point in the life of the tennis legend, Bjorn Borg. Playing in the US Open final that day, Borg suffered a heart-breaking loss against John McEnroe. Although he won the opening set, Borg was blanked in the next three in a lop-sided final. While the wounds from that loss were severe, Borg stormed out of the stadium and remained absent from the presentation ceremony and the interview. Subsequently, he never went on to play another Grand Slam singles match although he was just 25.

Borg had won 5 back-to-back titles at Wimbledon from 1976 to 1980. Despite his success there, he never returned to the tournament after 1981, as he left fans in dismay with his absence. Even the Swiss maestro, Roger Federer was shattered by his childhood hero’s absence from his favorite tournament.

Federer grew up hearing stories about Borg’s greatness at Wimbledon. However, his absence from the tournament later didn’t go down well with the Swiss maestro and he made his feelings felt in his new documentary, Federer: Twelve Final Days. He said, “It’s funny you know. I talked about Bjorn Borg, he didn’t return to Wimbledon for 25 years and that in a way, hurts every tennis fan. Totally acceptable, his life, his reasons but I don’t think I’ll be that guy.”

Federer called time on his iconic career after the 2022 Laver Cup. Despite moving away from tennis, Federer has already proved why he won’t be following in his idol’s footsteps as far as his absence from Wimbledon is concerned.

Roger Federer looked dapper on his return to Wimbledon

A year after retiring, Federer made it to the Wimbledon Centre Court where he was honored for his achievements during his illustrious career. The Swiss maestro was present on Day 2 of the tournament last year, where he was spotted enjoying the action alongside the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton.

Federer received a guard of honor in the Royal Box and a long-standing ovation, in a fitting tribute to him. It goes to show the love and respect the fans have for Federer, who has graced the tournament with audacious displays during his playing days. The Swiss legend wore a cream-colored blazer over a striped-blue shirt. The black sunglasses completed his dapper look as he left fans in awe of his presence.

In the past, Federer has maintained that he intends to make his presence felt at important tournaments. The Wimbledon Championships is one among them and fans can’t wait to see him at the upcoming edition, which begins next month.