Roger Federer
Mirka and their children are always courtside to support Roger. The tennis champ credits everything to his Fed-tastic clan
He’s the world number three with a savage volley and a killer smile, as well as one of the most successful male tennis players of all time.
Roger Federer, who at 37 is the sport’s most gracious veteran, credits his success story to his stable family life – and in particular his wife of nine years Mirka.
As the 20-time Grand Slamwinning “Fed Express” touches down in Melbourne in the hunt for his seventh Australian Open win, Mirka, herself a Swiss tennis star, and their two sets of identical twins will be permanent fixtures in his player’s box.
Despite a gruelling travel schedule that sees him away from their home in Switzerland almost 10 months of the year, he’s never without his family, which includes two sets of twins, Myla and Charlene, nine, and Lenny and Leo, four.
While many parents would shudder at the thought of traipsing from hotel room to hotel room, Roger wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I’d rather sleep with kids screaming than away from my wife,” he says. “I refuse to leave the bed with my wife. We always wanted to have kids, but my dream was to be with [her] and not in another bedroom on another floor.”
NEW GENERATION
Despite being worth an eyewatering $640 million, Roger prefers to be a hands-on dad, and admits he’s changed “tons of nappies” between matches.
And their life on the world tennis circuit appears to be paying off. While Roger has hinted at retirement, the next two decades could see a new generation of Federers running around the court.
“[The boys are] only four, yes, but they’ve played for a few years now. We roll the ball and hit it along the ground. The ball can bounce a bit more and they can whack it over the net sometimes,” he reveals. “The girls also play a little bit.”
But, he jokingly added at last year’s Australian Open, “I hope they don’t [become tennis players] because it will mean another 25 years on the circuit!”
Australia will always have a special place in Roger’s heart as it’s where he and the mother of his children began their love story.
The pair met at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Mirka was a force of her own on the court then, but a persistent foot injury forced her to the sidelines – and she instead
‘I’d rather sleep with kids screaming than away from Mirka’
became Roger’s public relations manager.
The couple married in 2009 in an intimate ceremony in his hometown of Basel.
While she serves a less official role these days, Roger still pays tribute to Mirka, 40, as the reason they’re able to live their globe-trotting lifestyle.
LOVE MATCH
“My wife does a lot of work, as much as she can. And I try to help as much as I can,” he says.
Despite their demanding schedules, Roger and Mirka still manage to make time for romance. The pair were spotted in Perth at the Hopman Cup New Year’s Eve Gala, where onlookers tell Woman’s Day they looked more in love than ever.
“There were a lot of glamorous young things at that party, but Roger only has eyes for his wife,” says one onlooker.
“You could tell they were enjoying the chance to get out together at a fancy event. They’re such hands-on parents on the tour, so it must have been a treat to be able to leave the kids at home.”