“He is tennis, he’s not human,” Roger Federer receives big praise from Guido Pella, compares the Swiss maestro to David Nalbandian

Pella showered praise on Federer's elegant style of play.

“He is tennis, he’s not human,” Roger Federer receives big praise from Guido Pella, compares the Swiss maestro to David Nalbandian

From left: David Nalbandian, Roger Federer and Guido Pella (Via user generated content)

20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer called curtains on his illustrious career last year. On 15 September 2022, he announced his impending retirement from professional tennis on the ATP Tour, noting that the Laver Cup would be his final ATP event. His final match resulted in a 6–4, 6(2)-7, 9–11 loss in doubles partnering long-time rival and friend Rafael Nadal against Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe.

The recently retired Argentine professional tennis player Guido Pella was full of praise for the former No.1. In an interview with the Argentine news publication La Nacion, Pella said, “Federer is tennis. It’s everything, it’s elegance, it’s respect, humility, knowing how to move on & off the court, the feeling that he’s not human. Federer looks like he’s not making any effort. He doesn’t need to scream, celebrate or sweat. He doesn’t seem to be moving.”

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Pella also compared his Argentine compatriot David Nalbandian to the Swiss legend. “This is a very great quality that Nalbandian also possessed. It’s a lie that he didn’t evolve. He had anticipation, which is different from not moving. Few players have the ability to know where the ball is going to go. What Federer generated in sport, no one has done,” he explained.

Describing his encounters against Federer at Wimbledon 2016 and Stuttgart 2018, the Argentine said,“He was the only one who generated something in the environment when he appeared. It doesn’t happen with Nadal or Djokovic. In the gym, in the locker room, in the dining room. Roger enters and does not go unnoticed.” He further went on to say that statistically Novak Djokovic is the best, according to him.

The Swiss legend is often considered as the GOAT(Greatest Of All Time) of tennis, especially for his elegant style of play. Federer’s one-handed backhand defied physics at times as his immaculate shot-making helped return 130 mph serves with utmost ease. Federer was ranked world No. 1 in singles by the ATP for 310 weeks, including a record 237 consecutive weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times.

He won 103 singles titles on the ATP Tour, the second most of all time, a record eight men’s singles Wimbledon titles, an Open Era joint-record five men’s singles US Open titles, and a joint-record six ATP Finals.

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Roger Federer returns to the Laver Cup one year after retiring from the sport

Federer was in attendance as the 6th edition of the Laver Cup kicked off to an underwhelming start on Friday in Vancouver, Canada. The Swiss tennis legend came for the final match of the day and led the coin toss. After the match, he was joined by Jim Courier in an on-court interview to reflect on the first year of his retirement.

federer laver cup
Roger Federer at the Laver Cup on Friday (Via Open Source)

“It’s great to be back at the Laver Cup one year later and if I look back at the memories, I thought the farewell was beautiful, it was perfect, it was emotional, there was proper suffering going on throughout my talk with you,” Federer said. “It’s a really intense, beautiful life I’m living now,” he added. Federer also expressed his wish to see Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic play for the team Europe at next year’s Laver Cup, to be played in Berlin, Germany.

Team World defended their title as they comprehensively defeated Team Europe 13-2 at the Annual team tournament. Ben Shelton/Frances Tiafoe d. Andrey Rublev/Hubi Hurkacz, 7-6(4), 7-6(5) as the defending champions needed just one match on Sunday to win the tie.

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