New book reveals Roger Federer was a taxi driver in 2001 – Tennis news
No one can imagine the 31-year-old Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer, driving a taxi to earn his livelihood but it is the truth of his life.
Prior to his peak in the world of tennis, he used to drive his friends and fellow tennis players as a taxi driver in the summer of 2001. It was the time when the 17-time Grand Slam Champion was on a major hip injury and shin splints layoff.
The book title Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection written by Rene Stauffer includes all the details of the early age of Federer in which there is a chapter named as “The Taxi Driver of Biel.” All the details of his cumbersome life prior to the boom in his
professional tennis career are explained in this portion of the book.
Michael Lammer was one of the fellow tennis players of the seven-time Wimbledon Champion. He recalled, “Roger was really helpful and played taxi driver for me. He waited for me at the train station, drove me to school and picked me up again and then we went
together to physical therapy at the sports school in Magglingen.”
He was the roommate of the Swiss Maestro for two years. Adding about the lifespan spent with Federer in an apartment, Lammer stated, “It was cramped, almost too cramped, without many amenities. Mirka showed up a lot when Roger was there. She cleaned, cooked
and saw to it that it was reasonably tidy. We drank a beer or two but never to excess. He had other priorities.”
Injuries are the part of any player’s tennis career. No one has stayed fully fit for their entire career but fighting with these troublesome moments and coming on top deserves what Federer has achieved today. Beijing Olympics Gold Medallist, Rafael Nadal,
has been suffering from a chronic knee injury for almost six months now and has not returned to the tennis courts as to date.
Moreover, the 15-time Grand Slam Champion, Serena Williams, had several undisclosed medical issues in the past that kept her out of action for the bulk of the previous season. The reigning French Open Champion, Maria Sharapova, suffered miserably from ankle
and shoulder injuries in 2011 that did not allow her to create any sort of rhythm for an entire season.
Hence, Federer is no exception but his accomplishments are undoubtedly unmatchable at least for the foreseeable future. He will resume tennis at the Australian Open in January next year where he was the semi-finalist in this year’s edition of the tournament.
Tags: