For Pete Sampras, his wife Bridget was very important. And for Roger Federer, his wife Mirka is the key od success too. Speaking about it, the Swiss player recently said: ‘I think every wife is important. Mine is no different.
She’s been involved to some degree as of late, but I guess more involved midway through our relationship just because she came to every practice, every match, spent breakfast, lunch, and dinner together for years. Still very intense today, but just we have kids now, and she’s seen 900 matches, I guess.
She’s okay missing one once in a while and not coming to the practices anymore. But she’s been very important in my life, not just as a tennis player but overall. I’m happy that she always thought in the best interest for me and my career and never pulled me away.
It would have been easy for her to say, Look, can we not change it up or do different. I hear stories, some guys don’t get allowed to travel maybe three, four weeks on the stretch in a row somewhere. The only request she had is we can spend as much as time as possible together, which is what I wanted anyway.
Yeah, she’s been amazing. But at the same time, I also have to be able to take decisions all by myself and, you know, do what’s best for me as a tennis player. Of course, in the back of my mind I always have family and friends and everything, but, you know, you can’t always run everything by Mirka.
Anyway, I take decisions in the team, but as a leader I also have to take decisions myself.’ It helped she was on the tour herself? ‘I guess so’, Federer replied. ‘But at the same time, I guess it must also be nice to have a girlfriend or wife who has nothing to do with tennis, doesn’t know everybody.
Depends how you see it. I thought it was a positive for me, because when she started traveling with me, she was injured on her heel and she couldn’t run or walk anymore at that point. She was on crutches and everything. Then she decided to come on tour with me, and I guess it was for her like‑‑ it extended her career a little bit.
That’s why she was so excited and motivated to still be back on the tour, but with me in the supporting team more than as a player. Which was nice for her, I think.’ ALSO READ: Roger Federer fumes at Cincinnati Masters umpire: ‘Just say: “I am sorry”
