Tommy Haas paid tribute to Roger Federer by saying the Swiss played tennis ‘like he was from another planet’ Federer, 41, ended his amazing tennis career after the Laver Cup. Haas, who played his last match in 2017, paid a visit to the Laver Cup as he did not want to miss Federer’s big send-off.
Throughout his career and after retiring from him, Haas had a very good relationship with Federer. Describing Federer, Haas said the Swiss was a tennis great who also had a great personality. “He knew in advance that he would say goodbye there, in the Laver Cup.
It was important to me to be there. He had never been to the Laver Cup. There was a great atmosphere at the O2 Arena. It was very emotional, almost too much. Roger is an incredible guy, on and off the track, as a friend, as a father, as a man.
You always have fun with him. He has a great outlook on life and it’s wonderful to spend time with people like him. Roger is now in the same situation as I was then: you are no longer on the circuit. But when we both play table tennis, we have fun and have the ambition to win.
Roger’s career can be talked about for a long time. It’s amazing what he has achieved, for so long and with such regularity. He played tennis as if he were from another planet, it was the period from 2004 to 2006,” Haas told Eurosport Germany’s Das Gelbe vom Ball tennis podcast.
The former German player became number two in the world, remembered for a brilliant technique and a perfectly executed one-handed backhand.
Federer was able to enjoy his time on the court
Roger Federer had a fun and illuminating chat on the late-night talk show The Daily Show with Trevor Noah on Wednesday.
“When I was growing up, I had Michael Schumacher that I would look up to, who was at the top for so long. Tiger Woods, same thing. And I always thought it’s impossible to do that, to stay at the top for so long and have that drive,” he stated.
Roger Federer revealed that he was glad that he didn’t take the sport too seriously and was able to enjoy his time on the court. “I feel like I had a lot of fun on the tour. It was not just about tennis. It was also about going to nice dinner with friends and I’m happy that I didn’t take tennis almost that serious or professional. Still had a bit of an amateur twist to it,” he said.
