When Roger Federer Confessed He Knew He Was Too Good
Mary Carillo, a long-time tennis commentator, has shared insights into what made the Swiss icon unique on the court. During an interview with Andy Roddick on Served with Andy, Carillo confirmed that Federer knew his own talent profoundly.
First turning professional in 1998 at just 16 years old, Roger Federer quickly distinguished himself by dominating boys' titles at Wimbledon. His career would go on to become one of the greatest in sports history, with an astounding 20 Grand Slam crowns and over a decade atop the ATP rankings.
Mary Carillo elaborated: 'Do you know how beautiful your tennis is?' he replied, 'Yes,' laughing a little. ‘Do you try to make it beautiful?’ and he simply answered, 'Yes.' He measured his talent perfectly and what it meant for tennis. No false modesty: if you told him he was too good, he’d say, 'Yes, I was.’ He wasn't going to lie.