![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_258421695.jpg\")
Federer superfan Wendy Lo, sporting the RF cap, at Wimbledon (Photo: Michael Hincks)<\/p>\n
Her hesitation is mirrored by a couple, Alison and Len (spotted with the latter wearing an RF cap), who both need a second to think before admitting to supporting Djokovic and home hope Jack Draper, who exited in the second round<\/a>.<\/p>\n The lack of certainty speaks to Federer\u2019s transcendent popularity, the Swiss winning the ATP Fans\u2019 Favourite award 19 years in a row, including in 2020 \u2013 when he played just six matches, at the Australian Open, before injury \u2013 and finally 2020, his final year when he made five tournament appearances.<\/p>\n Curiosity abounds therefore over the Federer fans who had spoken to The i Paper outside The O2<\/a> in 2022, when he bowed out at the Laver Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\n There to witness his last dance, an emotional weekend perhaps best remembered for Federer and Rafael Nadal tearfully holding hands courtside<\/a>, it was clear these supporters loved the player more than they loved the sport.<\/p>\n Almost three years later, that remains the case. <\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, I haven\u2019t really been following tennis much after Roger retired,\u201d Erica Zhao tells The i Paper. <\/p>\n \u201cFor some reason it isn\u2019t the same, even though I love watching the sport.<\/p>\n \u201cI miss waking up at 3am and hiding underneath a blanket to watch him play a slam final with my heart rate going all over the place. I miss yelling at the TV and jumping in joy when he finally wins that match.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just this feeling that I used to have with watching Roger that I don\u2019t have anymore with any player. I\u2019m so grateful to have met and seen Roger play so many times before he retired and I will forever treasure those moments with him.\u201d<\/p>\n Vishnu Thirumurugan, meanwhile, has not been to a grand slam since Federer retired, having previously travelled over from Australia four times to attend Wimbledon, once for the French Open and four times for the US Open.<\/p>\n \u201cMy mum is much happier now I don\u2019t spend so much money on Roger,\u201d Vishnu says. \u201cIt\u2019s been very hard for me to get back into tennis.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been keeping tabs on it and can see the next generation [Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner<\/a>] have taken the mantle and are doing great things for tennis.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one person is bigger than the sport but to me Roger was tennis. I think seeing how happy Roger is in retirement and all the fun he\u2019s having makes things easier. It takes the sting off the retirement knowing Roger is living his best life.\u201d<\/p>\n Vishnu\u2019s call out on X led to dozens of responses from fellow Federer fans, with many still in a state of grief and unable to fill the \u201cvacuum\u201d.<\/p>\n One fan, who had seen Federer play five times at Wimbledon hasn\u2019t been back since, admitted to being depressed for a long time after Federer\u2019s retirement \u201cbecause it was like an emptiness\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cHe provided so many beautiful moments and memories for 20+ years of my life so when he stopped it was very difficult,\u201d they said. \u201cI miss seeing him play still now, like all of his fans do I am sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Your next read<\/p>\n Several said they have stopped watching tennis altogether \u2013 \u201cNo Roger, no tennis\u201d \u2013 while others have been slow to regain their interest but are nowhere near as emotionally invested as they once were. <\/p>\n Those who do watch have scattered their support far and wide. Draper, Dimitrov, Holger Rune, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Felix Auger\u2013Aliassime, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Lorenzo Musetti<\/a>, Alexander Bublik, Joao Fonseca, Daniil Medvedev, Iga Swiatek, Karolina Muchova and Coco Gauff are all mentioned.<\/p>\n The more popular picks are Alcaraz and Sinner, while very few support Djokovic, with \u201canyone but\u201d or \u201cwhoever faces Novak\u201d a popular reply, perhaps unsurprising given the partisan nature<\/a> of the Big Three fandom in that golden era\u2019s pomp.<\/p>\n![\"Roger](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_258448272.jpg\")
Federer officially retired from the sport in 2022 (Photo: Getty)<\/p>\n![\"LONDON,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SEI_258448232.jpg\")
Federer waves to the crowd from the Royal Box on Monday (Photo: Getty)<\/p>\n
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