Roger Federer Reflects on His Hall-of-Fame Career

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Roger Federer, a tennis legend, is experiencing a vibrant post-retirement period. Upon his arrival at the flagship store of the Swiss shoe company On in Manhattan's Flatiron district, he was greeted by a large number of excited youngsters. Many of them were carrying tennis rackets and balls, eager to get an autograph from the player widely considered the greatest of all time.

Federer, who is set to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame with broadcaster Mary Carillo during ceremonies in Newport, Rhode Island, has been a notable figure in New York recently. He unveiled a special edition of On's 'The Roger' shoe and drew a substantial crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium just to observe him warming up on the court. Before the Hall of Fame events, Federer engaged in a casual discussion with his long-time agent and manager, Tony Godsick.

During their conversation, amidst the lively setting where Federer was scheduled to interact with the children, participate in ping-pong matches, and answer their questions, he discussed his upcoming Hall of Fame induction, his personal assessment of his remarkable career, the current state of professional tennis, and his highly anticipated exhibition match. The exhibition includes a singles match against Andy Roddick and a doubles match where he will partner with John McEnroe against Roddick and Andre Agassi.

Vogue: Before we discuss the Hall of Fame and your exhibition, could you share your feelings about your so-called retirement? Do you feel retired, and has your life changed? You seem quite occupied.

Roger Federer: I definitely feel retired, and my life is significantly different. The first year or so was primarily about unwinding and adjusting to a new daily rhythm, learning how to fill my time, and managing our travel schedules with the children. However, the transition has been remarkably smooth, moving from one phase to the next with ease.

Over the past year and a half to two years, I feel I have truly established control over my new life, and it has been very rewarding. Last year, we traveled extensively with the children, always making an effort to stay together. Concurrently, I'm working hard and enjoy remaining active and busy.

Vogue: Have you taken up new hobbies or explored different life directions, or is your focus mainly on traveling with your family?

Roger Federer: Family will always be a central priority, and this is even more true now. Our sons are 12, and our daughters are 17, so we are heavily involved in supporting their academic and extracurricular pursuits. It's a great relief not to be constantly anticipating the next match or practice, which used to occupy my mind. I was exceptionally skilled at managing that balance, but it's simply wonderful to be free from that.

I also find I have more time for creative thinking. Together with Tony [Godsick], Mirka [Federer's wife], and the team, we are exploring opportunities with the brands I represent and considering how to best enjoy my travels and leisure time. I'm contemplating activities like playing golf and observing the evolving landscape of tennis. Importantly, I am now very selective about what I agree to, prioritizing my well-being and time.

Vogue: There's a significant amount of excitement around you, often termed 'Roger-mania.' Tonight, you'll be playing an exhibition match against Andy Roddick in singles, followed by a doubles match with John McEnroe at the US Open venue. How did these events come about?

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Roger Federer, the celebrated tennis icon, is enjoying a dynamic post-professional career. Upon his arrival at the flagship store of the Swiss shoe company On in Manhattan's Flatiron neighborhood, he was met by a large contingent of eager school children. Many arrived with tennis rackets and balls, hoping to secure an autograph from the player widely regarded as the greatest in the sport's history.

Federer, who is on the cusp of induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame alongside broadcaster Mary Carillo during the upcoming ceremonies in Newport, Rhode Island, has been a notable presence in New York. He recently launched a limited-edition version of On's 'The Roger' shoe and drew a considerable crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, simply to witness him warm up on the court. Before the Hall of Fame celebrations, Federer sat down for a relaxed chat with his long-standing agent and manager, Tony Godsick.

During their conversation, set against the lively backdrop of plans for Federer to engage with the young fans, participate in ping-pong, and address their questions, he shared his reflections on his Hall of Fame induction, his personal evaluation of his illustrious career, the current state of tennis, and his eagerly anticipated exhibition match. The exhibition features a singles encounter with Andy Roddick, followed by a doubles match where he will team up with John McEnroe to face Roddick and Andre Agassi.

Vogue: Before we discuss the Hall of Fame and your exhibition, could you share your thoughts on what's being called your 'retirement'? Do you feel retired, and has your life changed? You appear quite busy.

Roger Federer: I certainly feel retired, and my life is definitely quite different. The first year or so was a period of unwinding, getting used to a new rhythm, and learning how to structure my days – managing travel and how our time with the children would look. However, things have flowed from one to the next quite smoothly, and overall, the transition has been rather easy.

Now, for perhaps the last year and a half to two years, I feel like I am truly in control of my new life, and it has been wonderful. Last year, we traveled a great deal with the children, always aiming to stay together. At the same time, I work very hard and enjoy being active and busy.

Vogue: Have new hobbies or directions emerged in your life, or is it more focused on traveling with your family?

Roger Federer: Family will always be a significant aspect, and perhaps even more so now. Our sons are 12, and our daughters are 17, so we are right in the midst of supporting them with school and their after-school activities. It's nice not to have an impending next match or practice, which might have meant being mentally distracted. I was exceptionally good at balancing that, but it's just a pleasure not to have that.

I also have more time for creative thought. With Tony [Godsick], Mirka [Federer's wife], and the team, we are considering what we can do together with the brands I partner with, or in general with travel and enjoying myself – where I might play golf, and how tennis is progressing, and what the current landscape looks like. I am also not saying yes to everything; I am protecting myself and aiming to be very selective.

Vogue: We are experiencing a wave of 'Roger-mania.' Tonight, you are playing an exhibition with Andy Roddick in singles, and then partnering with John McEnroe at the US Open site. How did all of this come about?

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Roger Federer, the iconic tennis star, is experiencing a vibrant phase even after stepping away from professional play. Upon his arrival at the flagship store of the Swiss shoe company On in Manhattan's Flatiron neighborhood, he was greeted by a large crowd of enthusiastic school children. Many of them were holding tennis rackets and balls, hopeful for an autograph from the individual widely considered the greatest player in the sport's history.

Federer, who is soon to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame alongside broadcaster Mary Carillo during ceremonies in Newport, Rhode Island, has been a prominent figure in New York lately. He launched a limited-edition version of On's 'The Roger' shoe and drew a significant throng of fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium simply to watch him warm up on the court. Before the Hall of Fame festivities, Federer sat down for a relaxed chat with his long-time agent and manager, Tony Godsick.

During their conversation, amidst the lively atmosphere with plans for Federer to interact with the children, play ping-pong, and answer their questions, he shared his thoughts on his Hall of Fame induction, his personal assessment of his legendary career, the current state of tennis, and his eagerly anticipated exhibition match. The exhibition includes a singles match against Andy Roddick and a doubles match where he will partner with John McEnroe against Roddick and Andre Agassi.

Vogue: Before we delve into the Hall of Fame and your exhibition, I wanted to ask you about your so-called retirement. Do you feel retired, and has your life changed? You seem pretty busy to me.

Roger Federer: I definitely feel retired, and my life is certainly very different. The first year or so was an unwinding period, just getting used to the new rhythm and learning how to fill my day – how much travel we were doing, and how it would be with the kids now. But things have been flowing from one to the other quite smoothly, and so overall, that transition was rather easy.

Now, perhaps for the last year and a half to two years, I feel like I am really in control of my new life, and it has been great. Last year, we traveled a lot with the children, too – we always try to stay together. At the same time, I work really hard and I like being active and busy.

Vogue: Do you have new hobbies or directions your life has taken, or is it more about traveling with the family?

Roger Federer: Family will always be a big deal, and especially so now – the boys are 12, the girls are 17, so we’re right in the middle of supporting them with school and their after-school activities. It’s nice not to have a next match coming or a next practice coming, where mentally maybe you’re always a little bit distracted. I was extremely good at balancing that part, but it’s just nice not to have that.

I also have more time to think more creatively, with Tony [Godsick] and Mirka [Federer’s wife] and the team, about what we could do together with the brands I work with, or just in general with travels and having fun – where I could go play golf, and how is tennis looking, and what’s the landscape there? I’m also not saying yes to everything – I’m protecting myself and trying to be very selective.

Vogue: We’re in the midst of a bit of Roger-mania. Tonight you’re playing an exhibition with Andy Roddick in singles and then partnering with John McEnroe out at the US Open site. How did all of this come about?