Happy Birthday, Roger

Today we celebrate the birthday of the most famous Swiss sportsman EVER... Roger Federer. Known as one of the greatest tennis players in history, Roger Federer holds the record for most Grand Slam men’s singles championships at 20. 

The tennis star was born on August 8, 1981, in Basel, to a Swiss father and South African mother. Apart from his game, Federer is also a master of languages, with ability to speak six of them. He holds dual citizenship of Switzerland and South Africa.

Few know that Federer was awarded an honorary doctorate by his home university in Basel, in November 2017 for his role in enhancing the reputation of his country. He was considered “unsuitable” for the Swiss military back in 2003. He also holds the record of becoming the first living person to be commemorated in Swiss currency in December 2019.

His latest trick was to pay two special fans a surprise visit for a game of rooftop tennis in a new campaign for Barilla. The fans in question are two young Italian girls who, during Italy’s coronavirus lockdown earlier this year, created a tennis court between two rooftops in their hometown of Finale Ligure. Little did they know this wold lead to a lunch date with their hero Roger Federer!