"I liked tennis before but it was Roger Federer who made me fall in love with the sport" -  Tennis fans react after Wimbledon pays tribute to the Swiss great

Eight-time champion Roger Federer was mentioned in a tweet put out by Wimbledon as it marks the centenary celebrations of the famed Centre Court.

Federer was last seen in action during the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2021 and has been on a forced hiatus since, after undergoing knee surgery in August.

"A dream born in Basel, raised in Centre Court," the tweet read.

The tweet prompted fans to respond with their own tributes to the 40-year-old.

"I liked tennis before he came along, but it was @rogerfederer who made me fall in love with the sport," was one user’s way of expressing what the Swiss great meant to him.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion's absence from the tour has left his fans distraught and the they made it known via their posts.

"I want Roger to come back to the tour, because I'm sorry to tell you, he's the tennis," was one individual's way of lauding the legend.

Federer, whose name has become synonymous with Wimbledon, is missed the most during the grasscourt season, particularly at SW19, opined a fan as part of a heartfelt post.

"The one and only Wimbledon and the grass court season are missing him so deeply, just like his fans," the fan wrote.

Referring to Roger Federer as "Wimbledon's GOAT," a user mentioned that it would have been apt if the eight-time champion had been present on Centre Court as the famed venue marks its centenary.

"It's such a pity that Wimbledon's GOAT will not be playing on Centre Court this year to mark its centenary," the fan mused.

"No tennis fan can deny the fact that federer is a magician on court, the way he plays tennis is pure bliss," stated another user.

One user thanked Federer for all the wonderful memories he had given them.

"What a dream it is Roger. Thanks for the wonderful memories. We hope to see you playing again soon," they wrote.

The 2019 final, in which the Swiss squandered two match points against Novak Djokovic, was also brought into focus by a fan.

"I dearly wish he will come back and win Wimbledon one more time! I still can't get over those two championship points!" they wrote.

"Can't put into words how much this guy is being missed on the tour," wrote one fan who best summed up what the Swiss legend's absence from the tour means to the tennis fraternity.

8 titles, 5 successive wins, 12 finals - Roger Federer's journey at Wimbledon

Roger Federer waves to fans after losing the 2019 Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic

Roger Federer made it to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon as a 19-year-old in 2001. He first won the tournament in 2003 after getting past Mark Philippoussis of Australia, which was the first of seven consecutive finals for the Swiss.

After a staggering five successive titles, it was Rafael Nadal who ended his juggernaut of title wins by clinching a gruelling five-setter in 2008, with the scoreline reading 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7.

The champion from Basel bounced back to win a sixth title, defeating Andy Roddick 5-7, 7-6(6), 7-6(5), 3-6, 16-14 in the 2009 final.

After missing out on the final for a couple of years, Roger Federer defeated Andy Murray to win his seventh Wimbledon crown in 2012. Two epic finals in 2014 and 2015 witnessed Novak Djokovic prevailing over his arch rival.

A straight-sets win over Marin Cilic gave the Swiss his eighth title in 2017 and a ninth was very much on the cards, as Federer had two championship points in the 2019 final against Djokovic. Yet, it was the Serb who finally triumphed 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(4), 4-6, 13-12 in the unforgettable match.

A place in the quarterfinals last year meant that the 12-time finalist became the oldest man to advance to the last eight of the competition in the Open Era.