Roger Federer explains his ‘rock solid’ relationship with wife Mirka Federer

It was January 2002 when Roger Federer and his wife Miroslava “Mirka” Vavrinec paired up to play Hopman Cup. They won one tie on three played, and could not reach the final.

They were already a couple when played together, as admitted by Roger, who recalled the beginning of their love story.

‘It didn’t quite start it here, it actually started at the (2000) Sydney Olympics, also in Australia, but that was almost one and a half years earlier, so we were already a rock-solid couple and we had a great time.

Unfortunately, she was quite hurt, that’s why then she ended up being retired at a too young of an age but it was a great week and was slightly awkward playing with your girlfriend at the time, but we got through it and had a good time after all.’

Good for you or awkward for her? ‘I think awkward for me, she was cool about it because she’s older than me so she had experience.’

Federer always spends fun time at the Hopman Cup, where he is making his fourth appearance overall after 2001 (with Martina Hingis), 2002 (his wife) and 2017 (Belinda Bencic, same partner as 2018).

Last year he ended up on the dance floor at the NYE Gala 2017. ‘I was sitting there all relaxed and then I just got torn into pieces and there I was out on the dance floor.

I don’t remember what happened but I remember there was so much pressure by the group, from all most countries.

I had to be there and I didn’t regret it.’