“Like a Gentleman”: Chilean Athlete Shares Her Fan Moment With Roger Federer During Athens Olympics

Swiss maestro, Roger Federer, is inarguably one of the most cherished sportspersons in the world. He is also responsible for touching millions of lives, even outside of tennis. Recently, Chilean table tennis player, Maria Paulina Vega, who heroically qualified for the Tokyo Olympics 2021, shared her Federer story.

Table tennis player, Maria Paulina Vega, talks about meeting Roger Federer

Paulina Vega met the tennis maestro at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and even got a photo with him. Even after 17 years today, she admires the 20-time Grand Slam champion as much as she did back then.

Read More: “Road Is Long”: Jannik Sinner Reveals What It Takes To Beat Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic

Hence, when asked whether she had any idols in sports, she took no time in coming up with a name. “Roger Federer, I love it... I love how he is, how he is projected, like a gentleman as people on the circuit say,” she said.

(All quotes are translated from Spanish to English via Google Translate).

Before getting the picture, the 37-year-old Chilean asked compatriot tennis player, Fernando Gonzalez, about Roger Federer. Unsurprisingly, Gonzalez called the 8-time Wimbledon champion one of the greatest on the tennis circuit.

Furthermore, the retired Chilean professional hailed Federer’s connection with people. “That sometimes is worth more than whether he is a good player or not,” noted Maria. Additionally, Gonzalez told her that Roger would not have any problem with taking a picture.

“One day, I went to leave my bag to go to the dining room. I was in that area, and next to me I see a giant suitcase with tennis rackets. I look, and it was Roger,” Maria revealed.

Unquestionably, she was very happy and cherishes that moment even today. It will be the cherry on the cake for Paulina Vega if she meets Federer at the Tokyo Olympics 2021.

Read More: Kei Nishikori Reveals Why He’s Inspired by Roger Federer

Which tournament will Federer play next?

Federer has confessed that his two big targets for 2021 are Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics. A singles gold medal is one accolade that is still missing from his cabinet.

After returning to tennis in Doha, the Basel-born will resume his season at the ATP Geneva Open 2021. Most significantly, he has also confirmed his participation at the French Open 2021.

Hopefully, Federer will continue to grace the tennis world and make priceless memories for other athletes. Do you see the Swiss maestro winning his 21st Grand Slam title this year?

Also Read: “Very Important Project for Me”: Novak Djokovic Plunges Into New Venture To Support NextGen Tennis

The post “Like a Gentleman”: Chilean Athlete Shares Her Fan Moment With Roger Federer During Athens Olympics appeared first on EssentiallySports.