Roger Federer has often been termed a complete tennis player. His presence on the court often brings the fans classical skills and entertainment. Federer has been able to achieve greatness on the court due to the sacrifices made by his family off the court. His wife, Mirka Federer, has always been a supportive partner. Things could have gone differently for the family, but fortune was on their side.
Federer was only a teenager when he began spending time with Mirka. She was 22 then and initially felt that Federer was too young for her. The former world No.1 even confessed in an interview in 2016 that his wife had told him he was too young for her.
September 2000: Roger Federer meets Mirka for the first time in Sydney Olympics 😍 pic.twitter.com/zfEo4VxZFR
— Luigi Gatto (@gigicat7_) September 18, 2023
Mirka met Federer during the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The Swiss maestro was making his debut at the games. Mirka was already engaged to an Arabian man during that time. After meeting and spending time with Federer in Sydney, she went on to call off her relationship with her fiance. Federer had feelings for Mirka before the Olympic games and had seen her play on the WTA tour.
Swiss Olympians sponsored their first meeting, believing Roger had a crush on Mirka. To help them connect, they locked them in a room. At first, Mirka didn’t like Federer. However, she eventually developed feelings for him, and even with the age gap, the pair got married in 2009 and have always supported each other.
Roger Federer and Mirka are set to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary
When Federer and Mirka first met at the Sydney games, they were busy in their careers. Mirka turned professional in 1998, just like her husband. Her career was cut short in 2002 due to a recurrent foot injury. Since her retirement, Mirka has been spending time with Federer and always attended all his matches. Her presence has often provided strength to Federer.
The couple gave birth to identical girl twins in 2009 and, in 2014, gave birth to fraternal twin boys. Taking care of four children, Mirka still had the time to arrange the travel for her husband. The 20-time Grand Slam champion even spoke about quitting the game if Mirka got tired of traveling. Mirka’s persistence helped Federer play the game till he was 39 years old.
Roger #Federer and his family chose Croatia as their holiday destination. #summer pic.twitter.com/SBbL9Axj5a
— Tennis (@tennis_photos) July 26, 2021
The Swiss pair will celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary in April next year (2024). The family now travels together for vacations, as Federer could not spend much time on tour. He has visited multiple destinations with his family in the past year. Federer along with Mirka will now cherish their parenting time with the kids as they step into a new chapter together.