Roger Federer was quite possibly the most aesthetically-pleasing player to ever grace the ATP Tour.
The Swiss legend oozed grace every single time he stepped on a tennis court. His movement, technique, and eye for a winner made him loved by his fans and his peers.
Understandably, Federer’s 2022 retirement from tennis triggered an outpouring of emotion – he has been missed, and will continue to be missed.
His graceful style of play was due in large part to his preparation before every shot, which was almost always exemplary.
This has been recognised by Patrick Mouratoglou.
Patrick Mouratoglou says Roger Federer had ‘ideal footwork’
Patrick Mouratoglou, the former coach of Serena Williams, has analysed a video showcasing Roger Federer’s footwork on a clay court.
“That’s another confirmation, if needed, that the best players in the world are the best movers, the ones that have the best footwork, and this is Roger Federer’s,” Mouratoglou said on Instagram.
“So, first of all, look how dynamic he is, always dynamic, he never stops. I love that he stays that close to the baseline and you can see at any moment he’s ready to move forward to go and contact the ball inside the court. Every time he can, he does it.
“I love how many steps he makes. Why so many? Because he wants to have the perfect distance to the ball, and he’s so precise in his footsteps.
“And I would say last thing, distance between his feet. He always has the same distance, very low on the legs and with a big distance between both feet which gives him the best stability.
“An example of the ideal footwork for any player.”
Mouratoglou is absolutely correct. Good footwork lays the foundation for a great shot, and Roger Federer was certainly a master of ensuring he was in the right position on every single shot.
Without effective footwork, a player cannot set themselves properly, leading to a lack of rhythm, mistiming of shots, and generally poor play.
Federer’s excellent footwork and his superb all-round play helped him win 103 ATP Tour titles during his career, including 20 Grand Slam titles.
Federer won eight Wimbledon Men’s Singles titles during his career, making him the most successful player in that category of event.
However, Novak Djokovic could equal the record next year – he has won seven Wimbledon Men’s Singles titles.
What has Roger Federer said about footwork?
During a 2021 interview with Tennis.com, Federer noted the importance of footwork when referring to something he had posted on social media.
On X [Twitter], Federer said: “Dancing on clouds and floating above the sands.”
When asked about the post, Federer said: “You talk about movement, but not in detail like this. That’s why I thought it would be nice to retweet.
“I even mentioned it to my kids. When I tell them in tennis about footwork, I tell them, ‘Look at how much I move my feet for one shot, or one point!’ I think it’s also interesting for junior kids to see what goes into it.
“Even though it looks all relaxed at the top, there’s a lot of work at the bottom.”
The last time Federer’s footwork was on display in a competitive setting was at the 2022 Laver Cup.
Federer played the final match of his career alongside Rafael Nadal. The pair lost to Jack Sock and France Tiafoe: 6-4, 6-7, 9-11.
Federer will forever be remembered as an icon of the sport: an individual younger players can look up to and admire for his on-court play, and his off-court grace.
Some young stars remain big fans of Federer, as demonstrated by Joao Fonseca’s idolisation of the Swiss legend.
