Chinese Fans Bring Gifts to Their Favorites

Written by: Staff on 15th October 2010

Chinese Fans Bring Gifts to Their Favorites

Roger Federer (SUI) |

Chinese fans have perhaps the youngest demographic and the biggest enthusiasm in the world of tennis, especially when it comes to megastars like Roger Federer. At the ATP events in Shanghai and Beijing, they queue up behind police barriers 24/7, autograph books at the ready for any player at all who happens to arrive or depart.

And many of teenaged faithful come bearing gifts.

“They’re very creative here in this country giving gifts,” said third-seed and two-time champion in Shanghai Federer, who feels the public love shower down every day. “Obviously many think of my twin girls.

“Many think of Switzerland, maybe give me a cow or something like that. Others create great books about me and my career, places where they’ve been, pictures they’ve taken with me, souvenirs that I’ve signed for them, they’ve taken pictures of it.”

The sympathetic Swiss called all the attention “very nice.”

“It’s very different, to be honest. Not everywhere do I get such nice and creative gifts. I always need to pack in the extra suitcase to take all the gifts back. That’s the only small problem, but it’s a good problem to have, so I’m happy about it.”

But it’s not just Federer who benefits. There is also Andy Murray, While not quite a smiling personality like Federer, the Scot has his admirers in China. And he also benefits.

His most recent present from a Shanghai fan was a pen in the shape of chopsticks with a piece of fake sushi attached. “It was a first, different – but I like sushi. I just don’t write that much.”

Topics: Admirers, Andy Murray, Atp Events, Autograph Books, Bearing Gifts, Career Places, Chinese Fans, Chopsticks, Creative Gifts, Giving Gifts, Great Books, Police Barriers, Roger Federer, Scot, Shanghai, Souvenirs, Suitcase, Sushi, Time Champion, Twin Girls