Roger Federer has been at the pinnacle of tennis for more than a decade and has always exuded class. Be it his exquisite forehands or that unique one-handed backhand which is a sight in itself, there’s something very aristocratic about the Swiss.
FedEx, needless to say, has always conducted himself in a cool, calm and collected way which has defined the champion in him. But have you ever wondered how things would have been if Federer played in a different era? Ever pictured him wearing the infamous ‘mullet’ or bash the umpires in true McEnroe-sque fashion?
You get all that and more in Mercedes’ latest advertisement that features the Swiss maestro. He obliges his fans by letting his guard down a bit and imitates several former stars to the ‘T’.
Federer is first portrayed as a rival of the great Rod Laver, who won 11 Grand Slams between 1962 and 1969 including a Calendar Slam in 1969. FedEx, pictured flawlessly sporting the fashionable outfits from the ‘Golden Era’ complete with wooden racquets, is described by Rod Laver as ‘amazing’. The Swiss is also pictured driving a vintage Mercedes convertible (as expected).
Next up, Federe is sporting long hair, headbands and throwing on-court tantrums which bring a certain John McEnroe to our minds. McEnroe, the ultimate bad boy of tennis in the 70s and 80s, was a 7-time Grand Slam winner but had quite a reputation for confronting umpires and losing his temper, bashing his racquet among other paraphernalia he could lay his eyes upon. Federer literally turns into the rockstar of the ‘bad boy era’.
Fast forward a decade and we get to see Federer in a mullet, which was championed by Andre Agassi (before he went bald of course) in the 90s. Agassi, often considered one of the best returners of the game, had a colourful personality which blended with his unorthodox apparel choices and attitude. To see FedEx in the colourful avatar of the 8-time Grand Slam champion is a real treat for the fans.
The ad ends with a shot of present-day Federer driving a Mercedes, with the narrator underlining that ‘True performance is timeless’. Although Federer’s season has been cut short by injury, and while he is in the twilight of his career, he truly is timeless. For the grace and beauty the 17-time Grand Slam champion has epitomised are not likely to be matched by any other player.
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