Legendary tennis champion Roger Federer made an appearance at Wimbledon on Tuesday. Shortly after the eight-time Wimbledon winner entered the Royal Box on Center Court, the crowd gave him a standing ovation.
Princess Kate Middleton was one of the notable onlookers who stood up and applauded the tennis star. Federer was being celebrated for his impressive career and his men’s record eight singles championships at Wimbledon.
The 20-time Grand Slam winner wore a cream suit with an All England Club member’s pin pinned to one lapel. Federer stood with his wife, Mirka, on one of the baselines in the tournament’s main stadium.
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Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales, left, stands in the royal box with tennis champion Roger Federer and his wife Mirka on the second day of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on Tuesday, July 4, 2023. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Federer repeatedly waved and said «Thank you» as cheers and roars cascaded under the closed retractable roof on a rainy second day at the grass-court event he once dominated.
Before the start of the game on Center Court, an announcer explained that Federer was being honored for «his contributions to tennis and in particular to these very special turfs».
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After multiple knee operations last year, Federer has decided to retire from the sport.
Tuesday’s ceremony included a highlight video showing clips of Federer playing, winning and speaking at Wimbledon, where he won the first of 20 career Grand Slam titles in 2003. That was the start of a streak of five in a row that it ran through 2007, followed by additional championships there in 2009, 2012, and 2017.
Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales Roger Federer and his wife Mirka Federer, right, sit in the Royal Box on Center Court on day two of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Tuesday, July 4, 2023. . (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon winner, advanced to the second round on Monday. Djokovic has won the last four Wimbledon men’s singles titles. A win in London this year would give Djokovic an eighth tournament title, which would tie Federer.
Martina Navratilova, who won the women’s singles title nine times, holds the overall record at the tournament.
«When I stop, the tournament lives on. The tournament is bigger than any player who has ever lived,» a younger Federer said in an interview shown during the film on Tuesday. «I’m really looking forward to the day when I retire, and I can come back and just have tea, you know, on the terrace.»
Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales, left, shares a word with tennis champion Roger Federer in the royal box on day two of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on Tuesday, July 4, 2023. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
The video included shots of various players talking enthusiastically about Federer.
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«Roger is a legend. He makes every shot look easy,» Wimbledon 2022 runner-up Ons Jabeur said.
Alex de Minaur spoke of Federer’s «masterful elegance on a tennis court».
Taylor Fritz called Federer an «inspiration», Coco Gauff used the word «icon» and current women’s number one Iga Swiatek called Federer a «really special player».
Associated Press contributed to this report.