Roger Federer has been retired for nearly four years, but Wimbledon still seems to revolve around him. On Monday, the eight-time champion once again found himself at the centre of attention, not because of a breathtaking backhand or another Centre Court masterclass, but simply because he refused to leave when almost everyone else did.
As Alexander Zverev and Jiri Lehecka walked onto Centre Court for their Round of 16 clash, television cameras cut to an unusual sight inside Wimbledon’s famous Royal Box. Usually packed with royalty, celebrities and distinguished guests, it was almost empty.
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Sitting quietly in the front row was Federer.
While many of the day’s invited guests had stepped away following Arthur Fery’s marathon victory over Grigor Dimitrov, the Swiss legend remained glued to the action, watching the next match begin as though he still had unfinished business on the most famous court in tennis.
The image quickly spread across social media and became one of the unexpected talking points of the day. It wasn’t just because the Royal Box had emptied. It was because Federer, years after retiring, still looked like the one person who simply could not get enough of Wimbledon.
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Earlier in the day, Federer had received another hero’s welcome as he returned to Centre Court, the venue where he built one of the greatest legacies the sport has ever seen. His record eight Wimbledon singles titles remain unmatched in the men’s game, and every appearance at the All England Club still feels like a homecoming.
He watched Britain’s Arthur Fery pull off the biggest victory of his career by defeating Grigor Dimitrov in an epic five-set contest before staying back for Jasmine Paolini’s victory and then Alexander Zverev’s evening battle against Jiri Lehecka.
Even the players couldn’t hide their excitement at seeing Federer courtside.
After his stunning upset, Fery pointed towards the Royal Box during his on-court interview and smiled.
“We’ve got probably the greatest of all time watching over there,” he said. “Playing here in front of all you guys and winning with that support is unbelievable.”
Eventually, other members of the Royal Box filtered back in as the evening session progressed, while Federer himself briefly stepped away after the opening set before returning early in the second.
By then, however, the internet had already fallen in love with the image.
Zverev’s fourth-round clash against Lehecka was suspended at 10:56 p.m. local time after Wimbledon’s strict 11:00 p.m. curfew came into effect. The German was leading by two sets, 6-4, 7-5, with the third set delicately poised at 3-3 when play was halted. The pair will return to Centre Court to complete the match.
– Ends
