Roger Federer gave the Stockholm Open an incredible boost when he was confirmed to play the tournament in 2010.
The then-World No. 3 opted to play the indoor ATP 250 tournament at the end of the season as he looked to return to the top of the rankings.
Federer won the tournament, defeating Florian Mayer in the final, as well as Ivan Ljubičić and Stan Wawrinka en route to lifting the trophy.
The Swiss superstar’s sole appearance at the tournament created such a buzz that it completely stunned the tournament organisers.
Roger Federer helped sell an incredible amount of tickets for the Stockholm Open in 2010
Speaking to Tennis World USA, tournament organiser Christer Hult opened up on the effect of having Federer appear at the tournament.
“We had met him in the US Open,” said Hult. “Roger asked how ticket sales were going, and we were like, Selling tickets from Monday to Thursday is always difficult in a 250 event.
“Then we sold tickets for his training sessions and it was completely sold out from Tuesday during his practice sessions, and then for the rest of the week in matches,” continued the organiser.
“Roger delivered some fantastic performances. Many stars came in Stockholm over the years. But the greatest of all time – Roger Federer – is probably the one who created the biggest craziness when he came in 2010, winning in front of thousands of fans,” he added.
“There were many doubts on grounds during his matches and at every practice and match there was a big crowd to have a look and, at best, get an autograph. It was pure magic.”
Swedish tennis star, Thomas Johansson, who won the tournament on two occasions, was equally surprised by the buzz created by Federer appearing in Stockholm.
“This is a moment I will never forget,” he said. “I probably never saw so many people in the Royal Tennis Hall. Everyone wanted to see the best tennis player ever.”
Federer never appeared again at the Stockholm Open, but his legacy at the tournament will be remembered forever.
Who are the big names at the 2025 Stockholm Open?
The 2025 edition of the tournament is certainly less star-studded than when Federer played, but there are still several top 30 players.
Holger Rune leads the tournament as the number one seed as he looks to crack into the top eight for the ATP Finals.
Number two seed Casper Ruud will be hoping to do similarly, while the likes of Denis Shapovalov, Ugo Humbert, and Tallon Griekspoor will be looking to end the season on a high.
The Stockholm Open began on October 13 and will run until the day of the final on October 19.
