Roger Federer Was Loved In South America

Written by: Staff on 20th December 2012

Roger Federer Was Loved In South America

epa03503354 Swiss tennis player Roger Federer returns a ball to German Tommy Haas during Gillete Federer Tour exhibition championship at the Ibirapuera gym in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 09 December 2012. EPA/Sebastião Moreira |

Roger Federer received about as big of a reception as any athlete or perhaps celebrity possible could on his recent exhibition tour of Brazil, Argentina and Colombia.

It was the Federer’s first visit to South America as a professional and he ended up playing six matches, which were said to have paid him $2 million each. He also had to do appearances and press conferences, but his $12 million total for the week’s trip was far more than he made in prize money during the 2012 season when he pocketed $8.5 million.

Organizers appeared to have been pleased however as his 2 day exo in Argentina against Juan Martin Del Potro sold out a temporary 20,000-seat stadium.

“There were a lot of No. 1’s in tennis who were playing in Argentina: John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, all these guys, but I’ve never seen something like this,” former top 10 player Jose Luis Clerc, told the New York Times..“The reaction of the people, everybody was crazy.”

Federer hit with Brazilian legend Maria Bueno, met with former US Open champion Gabriela Sabatini, of Argentina and also met with the Argentine president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner

Multiple celebrities and fans came out to see him play, or merely walk by the legend.

“They are so passionate here,” Federer said. “I’ve had more fans break down here in South America than anywhere else in the world. They cry, and they shake, and they are just so, like, not in awe but so happy to meet you. It’s disbelief for them that they can meet me, and that is something that has happened a few times before, but it’s very rare. Here I must have had at least 20 people probably hugging me and kissing me and so happy, you know, just to get a chance to touch me, even.”

The ATP off-season is now two weeks longer which allowed the Swiss to schedule the tour. Whether the ATP had this is mind when they shortened the season because the players were complaining that it was too long and they were too physically drained is debatable.

“With the season shorter, you can actually do a trip to South America like this,” Federer said. “Of course, you can always do a one-day trip, but I’m at the stage of my life when I do a one-day trip all across the world, I don’t think it’s worth it. I felt I needed to organize something that was really going to have an impact: for me personally, and also then for the people.”

©Daily tennis news wire

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