Roger Federer keeps his promise, visits Dubai's premier tennis academy at the Meydan Hotel

Ever the gentleman, Roger Federer has kept his promise by visiting Dubai's premier tennis academy, Tennis 360.

Federer retired from the sport last month, playing his final professional tennis match at the Laver Cup. And on Monday, the Swiss former World No. 1 paid a visit to the "revitalized" Meydan.

Gwen Tan-Sproule, co-founder and CEO of Tennis 360, took to Instagram to post the news of Federer's visit to the academy. Federer was seen signing a couple of caps for Tan-Sproule as she looked at them with a big smile on her face.

Speaking about his visit, the CEO asserted how grateful she was to Federer for keeping his promise. She revealed that the Basel-born was visiting Dubai and made time to honor his promise.

"On this trip to Dubai, he honored his promise to visit and rejoice in our return to a revitalised Meydan. And he liked what he saw. But we loved what we saw. Thank you for making time and being a friend @rogerfederer," Sproule wrote on her post.

Sproule further called Federer the GOAT.

"Always delivering. Always elegant. Always the GOAT," Sproule wrote.

Earlier this year, Roger Federer also kept his promise of playing with up-and-coming tennis player Izyan "Zizou" Ahmed, who had asked the Swiss why he was called "the GOAT" in a now iconic moment during an interview at the 2017 US Open. The youngster had also asked Federer to continue playing until he became a pro tennis player so that the duo could play against one another.

"Every person who loves sports, loves Roger Federer" - Carla Suarez Navarro

Roger Federer at the Laver Cup - Day Three

Former tennis professional Carla Suarez Navarro recently spoke highly of Roger Federer and stated that he had changed the game.

Suarez Navarro, a former World No. 6, was one of the few female athletes of her generation who played with a one-handed backhand. The Spanish player was, however, diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in September 2020. When she was declared cancer-free, Suarez Navarro started her farewell tour and eventually retired from tennis in 2021.

In an interview with AS, Suarez Navarro raved about Federer, stating that everyone who loved sports would also love the former World No. 1. She added that the the notion of Federer being "the best ever" is very common and that everyone wanted to play an elegant one-handed backhand like the Swiss.

“Every person who loves sports, loves Roger Federer. That is his legacy. To say that he is the best ever is a common debate and is complicated. What is clear is that he changed tennis today. And the sport. When you want to practice one (handed backhand), whatever it is, you want to do it like him, with that elegance, without sweating. As if it didn't cost him. We all want to be like him,” she noted.