American tennis star and entrepreneur Noah Rubin has admitted it was an honour to play against Roger Federer and described the experience as similar to playing a video game.
Noah Rubin, who has a career high ranking of 125, saw his dream come true at the Australian Open in 2017 when he faced Roger Federer in the second round.
“It was amazing playing Federer. I don’t think a lot of people remember but I actually had to qualify for that. I played three guys, two of them were inside the top 100 who had to go through qualifying which doesn’t usually happen,” said the 25-year-old.
“Then I played a fellow American in Bjorn Fratangelo and that was my first full five set match so I feel like I almost got something out of that tournament, then suddenly here I am playing in front of 14 thousand people on Rod Laver Arena playing Roger Federer.
“I have practised or played exhibitions with the very best. I practised with Murray before, warmed up Nadal for semi-finals of the 2015 US Open, played an exhibition with Djokovic, but Federer I have never really had that interaction with.
“Obviously in the locker room but nothing like that, so playing him was kind of like playing a computer game. It was super strange but being the New Yorker I am I still wanted to kick his ***!
“Going through those three sets, I had two set points in the third which people love to remind me about, but it was just incredible to play someone at his level.
“It’s going to be a tough debate in terms of who is the best but what Federer brings to the table, I mean for someone who prides themselves on their speed he just made me feel so slow.
“It’s a very unique match that I don’t think I will feel against anyone else ever again. It will always be with me and that’s why I play tennis.”
Noah Rubin is the founder of Behind The Racket, the BTR Tour and Phenom junior tennis tour
