Roger Federer is Not A Douchebag

This blogpost was found here: http://yourvolleyssuck.wordpress.com/roger-federer-is-not-a-douche/

This is an ongoing post that will chronicle how Roger is NOT a douchebag, contrary to popular (and by popular, I mean internetz) belief. I’ve seen a lot of lists naming all the times that ~RF has been arrogant, prissy, douchey, etc. And yeah, he can exhibit those qualities, but at the end of the day he’s still a nice guy (a great guy, in fact!). Federer is just like every other player – human – and sometimes it’s very easy to forget that. Probably because he’s a robot.

And so, without further ado, I present my evidence (this evidence, much like Pamela’s kisses~, will be irrefutable and trufax).

Testimonials:

Quotes from Roger’s colleagues. While some may say that this is the result of the Federer PR machine at work, I doubt they have this much sway over this many people. Maria Sharapova is a good example of how having a “machine” won’t keep other players from running their mouths. I’d also point out that these people are the ones who see Federer 24/7 rather than just reading his pressers or watching him on tv. But what do they know, right?



"He’s probably the most talented person to ever carry a racquet around—the shots that he can come up with, the way he’s kind of become a totally complete player. But I think off the court, it’s huge. There have been a lot of good champions, but he’s just classy. He is never high and mighty in the locker room or anything like that. — Andy Roddick"



"I have to say, a really nice moment today was walking onto the practice court and walking past a sitting Roger Federer, who was on the court right next to me. I walked by him and he said hi, which he does all the time. He is so sweet and I put my hand out and congratulated him on winning the French Open. He responded with thanks very much. I have played on this tour for 20 years and I have to say, he is without question one of the nicest and most genuinely classy guys you could ever meet. — Rennae Stubbs"



"Everybody says that, when he was young, he was unable to control on a court. It’s bloody true. I saw him often, in that age. In my eyes, his adult serenity now is a unique transformation in the history of sport. Everybody also says that he’s a very approachable person. Once again I confirm: he at once puts you at ease. One can only feel near to him. Everything’s easy with him. During last Roland Garros, I wanted to make a pleasure for a friend and give him a memory from Roger after my match against him. He at once gave me his t-shirt from the match. He’s like that, Roger. — Paul-Henri Mathieu"



"The most pleasant player on a human level? No doubt at all. Roger Federer. He’s elegant on and off the court, a fine ambassador for tennis. — Fabrice Santoro"



"But I mixed with him a little bit when I was working with Gael (Monfils) in the juniors. One day, in Roma, we met him, he was wearing a tracksuit with a big number 2. I told him, ‘This is not the right number’ and he answered laughingly, “It is, on clay, it’s the right number.” — Olivier Delaitre"



"Maybe we should rename [the ATP Sportsmanship Award], say ‘Roger, here it’s your turn.’ He’s just a tremendous guy and has done so much for the game. And you know the great thing about (the award) is that it’s voted by the players. — Stefan Edberg, for whom the award is named"



"Roger in the locker room is I think pretty unique in terms of players of his stature. I have several friends who are still playing on tour full time. They talk about Roger minutes before he’s playing a grand slam semi final. They’ll still be there playing doubles, and he’ll be listening to their ipods and asking them what their favorite new songs are. And this is literally minutes before he’s going out to play a prime time semi final grand slam match. . .Roger just has this very light energy around him. He’s not a tortured artist by any means. He’s someone who loves being around the courts. Loves hanging around tennis, loves talking tennis, loves being in this world. And it’s this very special lightness of being that I think the other players marvel at because he doesn’t show any mercy when he plays. But he knows how to make people feel comfortable around him. And for many, many years there were champions whose M.O. was to make everybody else uncomfortable. So it’s a very different energy that he brings to the table. — Jim Courier"



"I remember as if it was yesterday the day when he beat Sampras in Wimbledon. I was playing the junior tournament. With my mates, we were like crazy in the dormitory. It was great because he had beaten the ‘great Sampras’ playing serve-volley and return-volley. Now, when he enters the locker room, there’s like a silence. There you feel that the boss has just come in. But in the meantime, Roger doesn’t ‘give it.’ He’s cool and he loves teasing us nicely. — Jo-Wilifred Tsonga"



"Quite many people find Roger too ‘smooth.’ For me it’s the exact opposite, my picture is one of a very clowny guy, very much teasing but nice. When he was with Peter Lundgren, they made a huge mess in the locker-room! They spoke loud, willingly, boxed against each other, provoked people …It was a competition who would be the silliest. When you had to concentrate in your own match, you’d better go elsewhere…This year in Madrid, a quarter of an hour before his semifinal against Del Potro, I was eating quietly in the players’ lounge. Roger saw me and immediately started to tease me. A half-smile, he imitated my forehand, started to walk his bottom staying back, because I’m arched, etc. He still has an impish look, mischievousness deep inside him. — Arnaud Di Pasquale (beat Federer in the bronze medal match in Sydney Olympics 2000)"



"When Roger came in the juniors, everybody wanted to play against him. It meant a nearly certain victory. In the beginning he grumbled all the time. In German. As he also spoke French, one day I told him, ‘Shout in French, at least I’ll have a laugh.’ One day, he beat me 6-3 6-2. After the match I told him, “How is it that you don’t win more often? You still have a very easy game. It’s simple for you, it’s serve and forehand and it’s done.” Three years ago, I met him in the players’ lounge in Roland Garros, in the morning before his final against Nadal. He remembered my words and told me, “You told me serve and forehand, I will try.” He always has a great contact with us, the French. He always asks our news. It’s still nice, considering what he became. — Julien Jeanpierre (second in the world junior rankings in 1998 behind Federer)"



This is just a few quotes ot of many more, I will post them later on!