Roger Federer says tennis' current riches "would have been unthinkable without Bjorn Borg"

Roger Federer has given a string of candid interviews following the launch of his new shoe 'The Roger' in partnership with Swiss company ON. Over the last few days, the World No. 4 has spoken about his retirement, his goals for the next year, his rehabilitation and much more.

Roger Federer had announced in June that he would have to miss the rest of the ATP season due to a right knee issue. Federer had already taken a break between the Australian Open and Wimbledon for an arthroscopic procedure on that knee. However, a period of unsatisfactory rehabilitation led the Swiss legend to get a second operation and extend his time on the sidelines.

pic.twitter.com/zXnR7gAZQA

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) June 10, 2020

In a recent interview, Roger Federer also opened up on what it means to be the highest-earning athlete in the world. According to Federer, none of tennis players' current riches would have been possible without the sport's first global superstar - Bjorn Borg.

I understood later what Bjorn Borg meant for tennis: Roger Federer

(From L to R) Rafael Nadal, Bjorn Borg and Roger Federer

Speaking to ZEIT magazine, Roger Federer expressed gratitude for everything that Bjorn Borg did for tennis. According to Federer, Borg bringing more money into the sport paved the way for future players to leverage their success and put themselves on the global map.

"I only understood later what Bjorn Borg meant for the sport," the Swiss maestro said. "He was one of the first to receive sponsorship."

"He was one of the first people to stand for pop culture in tennis, I think he was for a time the second most famous person in the world after the Pope," he added.

Roger Federer went one step further and said that for him to have such a huge list of endorsement deals - and even to be able to design his own shoe - "would have been unthinkable without Bjorn Borg."

It is important that people get their money's worth: Roger Federer

According to Forbes, Roger Federer is the highest-paid athlete of the year 2019-2020 - ahead of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and LeBron James. The Swiss maestro's earnings over the last year totaled a whopping $106.3 million.

Roger Federer is the first tennis player to reach No. 1 on Forbes' list of the highest-paid athletes in the world 🎾 pic.twitter.com/9UZRfPKvCx

— ESPN (@espn) May 29, 2020

On the subject, the 20-time Grand Slam champion said that he found his top rank quite embarrassing. But he added that tennis players earning so much was a positive sign for the sport, since it shows how the fans are getting their money's worth.

"My manager told me that Forbes called: 'Apparently you're number one.' Then I think: 'Oh God, no, does that have to be?'" Federer said.

"We are also in entertainment. Today I see that much more clearly than before: It's not just about me. People come from far away, they give time, they give money to see you play. It is extremely important that they get their money's worth," he added.