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He's 33 but it's a new experience for Roger Federer when he plays in India
Federer is competing in New Delhi as part of the International Premier Tennis League
It will be Federer's second visit to India after a trip to southern India for Unicef in 2006
Federer ended the professional tennis season on a high, helping Switzerland win the Davis Cup
During his professional tennis career that began in 1998, Roger Federer has done a whole lot of traveling.
He has played in exactly 30 countries, a figure that doesn’t include exhibition tours or matches in nations such as Brazil, Argentina and South Korea.
Starting this weekend the seven-time Wimbledon champion and 17-time grand slam winner breaks new ground by competing in India in the exhibition International Premier Tennis League, and his fans in the world’s second most populated country can hardly wait.
A first batch of tickets for his matches in the capital, New Delhi, sold out in 20 minutes. Federer is expected to play on two days.
“For Indians, Wimbledon is one of the biggest sporting events – not just tennis events – of the year,” IPTL founder and former doubles standout Mahesh Bhupathi said in an interview with CNN.com. “With Roger being as successful as he has at Wimbledon just makes him that iconic figure in India.
“Everybody is waiting for him to show up.”
Federer is excited, too.
He’ll be visiting India for a second time, having surveyed Unicef’s recovery programs in southern India in 2006 in the wake of the tsunami in Asia two years earlier.
Federer sat down with CNN.com during the World Tour Finals last month to discuss his upcoming Indian trip and all things India.
He can’t wait to land at the airport, for one.
He likes Indian food – not shying away from the spicy stuff once in a while – recalls his time on India’s chaotic roads and of course reflects on his Twitter request in September that led to an array of colorful replies.
Q: Roger, three months ago you asked your Indian supporters on Twitter to recreate some Indian experiences or take you to some popular sights via Photoshop. The results were pretty memorable. What did you make of it?
A: I thought it was hilarious, actually. I wanted to explain to people that unfortunately I had limited time because I really need to practice and I need to get back to the family, but I’m so happy to be coming to India, and it’s very exciting, so I was like, ‘Well how?’
I know I can’t see much or hardly anything rather than actually experience just the people, Delhi, all that stuff. So I was like, ‘You guys Photoshop me and I think that’s like a good idea and then I’ll pick you guys and retweet.’
The feedback that came was just [he giggles] hilarious. It was crazy, it was cool. There were many, many ones that were simply epic. I can’t wait to go to India.
Q: You won’t have much time in India, but what are you looking forward to doing?
A: To me arriving at the airport is very exciting. I remember when I went to Brazil for the first time a couple of years ago [in 2012] in Sao Paulo. I came out and I was like, ‘This is it. I’m in Brazil. I made it.’ It’s so rare for me to go to a new country, new place, new city.
It won’t be my first time in India, but it’ll be my first time to play tennis, and that moment you walk onto the court or into the stadium – that’s why I play tennis.
I’m going to India for that feeling – playing tennis, showing what I can do, bringing over my personality, sharing the fun and all that with the people, and how are the people going to react? And obviously I’m going to meet a ton of people, get a sense for how it is locally there. It’s going to be crazy, but I’m prepared for that.
Q: You mention that it’s going to be crazy. It could be quite crazy at the airport when you land.
A: Maybe. Those are the things I don’t know. That’s why I don’t want to think about it much and just like go with the flow. When it happens, handle it. People know I’m happy to come and if there are happy people that I’m coming, that’s great.
I’ve had some experiences at hotels, airports, stadiums, but that’s why I think the South American trip was huge or sometimes playing exhibitions is what I really enjoy doing because it allows me to play in places I’ve never been to.
I went to Seoul, I went to Macao, Kuala Lumpur, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Bogota, and now I can go to India. I’m sure I’ve forgot a few. For me it was special to play in Japan for the first time in 2006.
I’ve been on tour for a long time so sometimes you would think that it takes more to get me excited, which I guess is true to a degree. And this is definitely going to get me excited.
Q: In a broader perspective, what do you think of when you think of India?
A: I think of a warm place. I see a lot of people walking around barefoot because it is so warm. I remember I was not able to watch the road anymore because I was seeing guys like coming [he makes a swerving motion with his hand then laughs] …I was like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t watch this anymore because we’re going to get hit at one point.’
I was on the road for six straight hours to Puducherry and back from Chennai. It was unbelievable, but it was a great experience. I think of that. I think of a lot of people. I think of people that are quickly excited, a cricket loving country. Obviously that comes to mind as an athlete.
So that’s what I think of and just how different the north is from the south, how different the dress is as well, how inland is different to the coast, fisherman to inside with the crops.
Q: Have you seen a Bollywood movie?
A: Maybe a few minutes here and there. I went to see one of these musicals in London years ago [he suspects it was Bombay Dreams]. It was so much fun.
Q: How much do you like Indian food?
A: I like it a lot. Sometimes I like to face the challenge of spice because I rarely have it. Good Indian food is great. Here this week already I went twice to Indian food [note: the interview took place on the Thursday].
I had chicken biryani, and I like vegetarian as well. I had one of these vegetarian degustation menus, which is great. I ate all the naan breads, you name it. I really like Indian food.
