WATCH: When Roger Federer Gifted Alexander Zverev A Point By Displaying Exemplary Sportsmanship

Roger Federer is separated from his peers by his sheer respect for the game. This translates into a deep sense of sportsmanship when he steps onto the court.

In fact, Roger Federer is not someone who’s known to chest for his benefit. He would instead correct mistakes made by the umpire, even if it means that the decision goes against him. This is why Roger is respected by his fans and opponents alike.

One such moment came at the 2017 Hopman Cup. Roger Federer was playing against his friend and archrival Alexander Zverev. Let’s find out the incident which proved the sportsmanship credentials of Federer.

Know More – Roger Federer And His Love Affair With Rolex Watches

What did Roger Federer do?

Roger Federer was facing the razor-sharp serves of Alexander Zverev. One of them landed pretty close to the line.

As the umpire called it out, Zverev would have been forced to go for a second serve. However, Roger wasn’t so sure about the decision. He told Zverev that the call was pretty close and he can consider a challenge.

After initially hesitating, Zverev gave in to the demands from the crowd as well as Roger Federer. The challenge showed that the ball was just in. This meant that it was Zverev who had won the point.

As was obvious, the entire crowd praised the fantastic display of sportsmanship by Federer. Even Zverev was full of appreciation for this move. The match in itself was a very close contest.

Know More – Inside Roger Federer’s Luxurious Penthouse

Alexander Zverev would go on to win by 7-6, 6-7, 7-6. However, the real talking point became this moment which showed the real character of Roger to the world. This is not the only time Roger has done a thing like this.

In the past, he has also given up a point against Stan Wawrinka even though the umpire had called otherwise at the Basel Open 2011. That’s why fans love him so much. This also tells us the reason for his popularity beyond the scope of tennis amidst non-sport supporters too.