By the age of 36, most professional tennis players have retired or are well past their prime.
That’s not the case for Swiss player Roger Federer, who celebrated his birthday in Montreal at the Rogers Cup on Tuesday.
He took to the practice courts in the late afternoon to the thrill of hundreds of devoted fans.
“A guy who is just so gifted and the fact that he’s using his gifts to keep going and not just retire, and mentally enjoy the game. He’s such an inspiration,” Jeff Salhany, a Montreal tennis fan told Global News.
Federer’s career accomplishments put him in a league of his own:
- 19 grand slam titles — a world record
- 8 Wimbledon titles — a world record
- 302 weeks ranked No. 1 — a world record
He’s already won two grand slams this year, five tournaments overall and is 31-2 year-to-date.
“Some of the shots he can come up with on the tennis court are just incredible. You haven’t seen them before,” Nicola Arzani of the ATP World Tour, told Global News.
On social media sites, some of Federer’s long-time rivals took some time out to wish him a happy birthday.
“Hey Roger, I wish you a very, very happy birthday. You’re getting old, stop winning,” Rafael Nadal said.
Despite all of his accomplishments, Federer is also considered a real ambassador to the sport.
He constantly encourages rising stars to excel at the game and has expressed a deep appreciation for the sport’s history and other great players, such as Rod Laver and Pete Sampras.
He has yet to win the Rogers Cup in Montreal.
Federer plays Canadian Peter Polansky, ranked 116th in the world on Wednesday afternoon.
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