What’s the story?
Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar is back at SW19 to offer his support for his favourite tennis player, Roger Federer. The 44-year-old was interviewed by Wimbledon TV before he made his way to Centre Court, where Federer is set to play Tomas Berdych for a place in the final.
When asked who he was rooting for in the match, Tendulkar was quick to state, “I have been watching Roger for 10 years now. Here I am again to support him.”
The right-handed batsman has been a frequent spectator at the Grand Slam and was spotted cheering for Federer in 2011 and 2015, when the Swiss maestro made it to the semi-final and the final of the tournament respectively.
"I've been watching Roger for the last 10 years. Here I am to support Roger."@sachin_rt is back at #Wimbledon. pic.twitter.com/NBWm7pugfG
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 14, 2017
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Federer, who has already won the Australian Open this year, is a strong favourite to lift his eighth Wimbledon title. Tendulkar, however, has not yet witnessed Federer winning the tournament, as the Swiss lost to Novak Djokovic the last time the Indian great watched him play.
The details
When asked about the magnitude of Federer’s achievements as a player, Tendulkar stated that a great player is one who is admired the world-over. Sachin also added that he knows the 7-time Wimbledon champion personally and revealed that he’s an even better human being than a tennis player.
What's next?
Tendulkar, who was a part of the Cricket Advisory Committee that appointed Ravi Shastri as India’s new coach, will now look to unwind at SW19. Watching Federer lift the title will definitely help the Master Blaster take his mind away from the whole coaching saga.
Meanwhile, Federer has been in brilliant form, and has not lost a single set on his way to the semi-finals. A 19th Slam looks like a real possibility for the 35-year-old at this point in time.
Author’s take
It is heartening to see legends from different sports show support for each other and display such respect for their achievements. Let’s hope that both cricket and tennis not only keep producing star athletes like Tendulkar and Federer, but also instil the same kind of humility in them.
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