Roger Federer’s Memorable Match Against Nicolas Mahut: The Story Behind Sarkozy’s Surprise Visit

BRATISLAVA – They are the same age, they played four matches together in their careers and the better and more famous one enjoyed all of them.

We are talking about Roger Federer, the brilliant and graceful Swiss maestro, and the Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, also known for his excellent skills in doubles with the twin Pierre-Hugues Herbert, his compatriot and partner.

While Roger is missed by all the fans and they would prefer to see him play until death, we can rest easy. The King of Switzerland is enjoying a full tennis retirement and although he is rarely seen in public, when he does appear he looks smiling, happy and full of much needed satisfaction. After all, he has a reason – a beautiful wife, not to mention four children, plus the admiration and love of the whole world.

In 2012, however, he was in full permanence and in pursuit of tennis primates. Nicolas Mahut recalled their match together at Roland Garros that year, before which he was nervous, that’s all. To make matters worse, the nervousness and adrenaline rose after he was told that former French President Nicolas Sarkozy wanted to speak with him. Before the match against the greatest player of all time. What on earth?

At first, Mahut did not believe why Sarkozy would want to talk to him right before the match with Federer, who at that time was only a month and a half away from becoming the world number one again (he became it after his triumph over Andy Murray in the 2012 Wimbledon final). . Only after a few minutes did he understand that it was no joke.

“That day I was really nervous about playing against Roger. And then someone from the French Tennis Federation came to me and said that former President Sarkozy, who had lost the election that year, wanted to talk to me. I thought it’s a joke, they told me they were telling the truth” recalled Mahut in the book The Roger Federer Effect.

“So I went to one of the offices and I talked to the president and I was really nervous. Really. And then I forgot about the match for a while. I told Sarkozy, well, now I feel more relaxed before the match with Roger.” added the 41-year-old from Angers.

It can be said, without much doubt, that this was Mahut’s best match against Federer. Only once did he take a set (perhaps the home audience played a big role, or the interview with Sarkozy itself). In the battle of one-handed backhands, the Swiss won in sets 6:3, 4:6, 6:2, 7:5.

Mahut himself, the holder of 37 singles titles, admitted that it was the best match he had ever played against the elegant Swiss. He added that he was enchanted by the movement and elegance of the long-time world number one. “It seems simple. I’ve talked to somebody about what Roger does on the court, and every time I say the same thing – It’s a mistake if you do what Roger does.”

No wonder, Federer’s special, unique and inimitable style cannot be copied, taken, replicated in any way. The Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov came closest to him, and thanks to this he also earned the characteristic nickname – Baby Federer. Sometimes it was crazy how similar their styles were. However, with a minor addition – Dimitrov did not reach the accuracy of shots that Roger Federer entertained us with for two decades.

• Author: © List/Ondrej Herceg
• Source: Sports shoes, tennisworldusa.org