9 months ago
Federer: Sharing Locker Room with Sampras & Agassi Was 'Most Difficult'
Roger Federer said that when he was starting his career, he had to share a locker room with famous tennis players Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.
He found it hard because they were so serious about winning.
But he had help from his wife and team, and he became a great tennis player.
Roger Federer shared locker room with Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi early in his career
He found their competitiveness and seriousness challenging
Federer struggled with the transition from juniors to pros
He had a strong support system, including his wife Mirka, to help him through
Federer went on to become a successful tennis player
- Who
- Roger Federer
- What
- Found sharing locker room with Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi challenging
- Where
- In locker rooms
- When
- Early in his career
- Why
- Due to their competitiveness and seriousness
Federer's Perspective
Fans' Perspective
Challenges faced
Federer's Perspective
Federer found the competitiveness and seriousness of Sampras and Agassi challenging
Fans' Perspective
Fans might see this as a normal part of professional sports
Key facts
- Age when he struggled
- 18 to 20 or 21
- Number of Grand Slam titles won
- 20
- Weeks at No. 1
- 310
Quotes
Roger Federer
20-time Grand Slam winner in tennis, speaking about his early career experiences
“The most difficult thing for me was the transition from juniors to the pros. At first it was super cool. Suddenly I was in the locker room with Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Tim Henman, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Carlos Moya and others. And I thought: This is the best! But then everything got so serious. One guy wraps the grip tape around his racket with a grim expression, and you think: Oh God, he’s intense. Another walks past you without giving you a glance. And you think: He wants to win at all costs! And yet: Is it really that important? That phase was tough for me. When you travel a lot, lose often, and are as emotionally charged as I was, you think: I didn’t read the fine print in the tennis contract. It’s not all fun and games. This seriousness got to me. The years from 18 to 20 or 21 were hard for me.”
firstpost.com
“Not anymore. I had good perspective then, and I had Mirka and my team around me. We always had fun. When things got a bit too serious, we fooled around even more than usual. And then it was okay again.”
firstpost.com
