It is hard to imagine Wimbledon without Roger Federer. The hoopla surrounding his arrival at SW19 each year and speculation over his wardrobe for the occasion has become almost as much a part of The Championships as strawberries and cream.
His love affair with Wimbledon has lasted nearly a decade and it has got to the stage that one of the things he looks forward to most about the event is the chance to have a cup of tea with the chairman before the action begins.
“I cherish those moments,” Federer said. “When I can see the trophy, see the Centre Court with no people inside.
“Go see the chairman and have a relaxed chat, maybe some tea on the balcony, that for me is the favourite part of Wimbledon, next to obviously playing the big matches.”
On this sort of foundation, the romance is built to last but it has not always been this way for one of the game’s greatest ever players.
In fact, only after Federer had his name engraved on the honours board in 2003, did he really appreciate the tournament and its history. “I definitely felt different,” he said of the impact of his straight sets victory against Mark Philippoussis.
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