Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer has spoken publicly for the first time about the criticism he copped from climate activist Greta Thunberg about his relationship with Swiss bank Credit Suisse.
Fed is an ambassador for Credit Suisse, a company which invests a company that has invested billions of dollars into the fossil fuel industry.
Environmentalists, including Thunberg, recently put their foot down over Credit Suisse’s financial support of an industry that they say is ruining the environment,Protesters stormed an office of the company in Federer’s home country of Switzerland, swiping Federer by dressing as tennis players and whacking tennis balls inside the building.
Climate activist group 350.org Europe recently shared a social media post about the protest in January, which featured a message aimed at Federer.
“Credit Suisse has provided $57 billion to companies looking for new fossil fuel deposits” – Roger Federer do you endorse this?” the post read.
The post was closed off with the hashtag “RogerWakeUpNow” – and was shared by teenage activist Thunberg.
Now, Federer has spoken publicly about the incident for the first time, after initially addressing the controversy in a prepared statement in which he said he was, “committed to using this privileged position to dialogue on important issues with my sponsors.”
Speaking to Swiss publication Tages Anzeiger ahead of his charity exhibition match against Rafael Nadal in South Africa, the 38-year-old tennis star sounded more critical of the protest.
“When I help one person, I am criticised for not doing it with others. I have reached a point where I have to think carefully about what I am doing,” Federer said.
“But I also have to be able to overlook criticism. I can’t be everywhere, I can’t do everything. I am also a father and tennis player.
“I am aware that I can make a difference, take the microphone and address certain things. But I can’t do that all the time.
“It is important that you choose the right things at the right time and get your message across in a fair way. Not by attacking others.
“I know I can make a difference with my popularity. For others, for the planet, for the animals. And I think it’s good what has recently been raised about collective consciousness.”
The exhibition match at Cape Town Stadium was to raise money for the Roger Federer Foundation, which supports early childhood education in six southern African countries, including South Africa.
The foundation was hoping to top $US1 million from the exhibition. It raised $US3.5 (AU$5.25) million.
All You Need To Know About Roger Federer’s Training Routine
Roger Federer’s training routine makes him continue at the highest level even as his age advances. The Swiss maestro has a comprehensive set of exercises to make his body a moving weapon on the court.
Let us take a comprehensive look at Roger Federer’s training routine.
What Does Roger Federer’s Training Routine Look Like?
Federer loves to warm up with the jump rope. His training sessions are characterized by several minutes of jump rope. It is a great fitness routine and builds both cardiovascular fitness and agility.
Next, he does several jogging steps that help to work different muscles in his body. This consists of butt kicks, a running motion where the heel must touch the buttock with each step as a player advances from the net to the baseline and back again.
Working The Upper Body
After he’s done with his lower body, he moves focus to his upper body routine that is crucial to his tennis.
For this, Federer does the medicine ball toss. The ball is flung back and forth again and again from chest level as he shuffles from sideline to sideline.
Using The Racquet And Ball
Roger Federer uses an excellent exercise to sharpen his reflexes. This includes someone throwing three balls at him, with the Swiss maestro aiming to hit all three balls. It really helps him in making good returns and to be ready for a change in pace.
Federer has another fun exercise in his kitty. In this, someone throws a softly bounced ball at him that he has to catch with either of his hands and then bounce back. This allows Roger to improve his hand-eye coordination.
The Cone Drills
These form a crucial part of Federer’s routine. It includes placing three cones in a triangle, about four feet apart from each other, just inside the baseline.
He then moves around each cone swinging forehand and backhand strokes. He takes one stroke each time he walks around a cone in a zig-zag manner. It is very crucial for his groundstroke movements and footwork.
Training During Off-Season
Federer has an element of weight room training in his routine during the offseason. This includes leg press, bench press, the fly, leg squats and bicep and tricep curls among others.
Now you can figure out why Roger Federer is in prime shape even at this phase of his career.
