Roger Federer has spoken candidly about a difficult phase early in his professional career, admitting that locker-room life among tennis greats like Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras was far more intimidating than he expected.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion recalled how the competitive seriousness of his peers got under his skin as he juggled youth, ambition, and existential stress.
Federer said that when he first joined the tour, he felt an initial thrill at sharing space with legends. “At first it was super cool,” he reflected, remembering younger days in locker rooms alongside Sampras, Agassi, Tim Henman, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Carlos Moyà. But that enthusiasm soon gave way to anxiety.
He described a shift in atmosphere: players like Sampras walked by him “without giving a glance,” while others meticulously wrapped their racket grips or prepared with grim focus – behavior that made Federer realize how high the stakes truly were.
“And yet: Is it really that important?” he said he wondered in those moments, admitting that the intensity overwhelmed him mentally.
Early career growth came with pressure
Federer stressed that the years between ages 18 and 21 were particularly tough. He wasn’t just learning tennis – he was learning how to navigate a lifestyle charged with performance, travel, loss and a level of seriousness he hadn’t bargained for.
The contractual and emotional weight of being a young pro, he said, exposed him to a side of the sport that was “not all fun and games.”
Reflecting on that phase of his life, Federer said the mental battle shaped him. Though demanding, it also helped him develop a deeper resilience.
As he became a top-ranked professional and Grand Slam champion, those early locker-room lessons informed his mindset: stay composed, focused, and aware of the cost of winning.
Read the full article here
