Shanghai favorite

Federer's perennial commitment to the Rolex Shanghai Masters, Asia's only ATP top-flight 1000 tournament, and his enthusiastic involvement in the event's promotion mean he is especially adored in the eastern metropolis.

The special connection can be traced back to 2002 when Federer, a little-known young talent in China back then, played in the ATP's inaugural season-ending championships (then called the Masters Cup) in Shanghai. It wouldn't be long before Federer could no longer stroll the city's streets without being recognized after the Shanghai crowd fell in love with him following his back-to-back wins at the event in 2006 and 2007.

His support for the tournament's key milestones－such as attending the unveiling of the new central court, Qizhong Tennis Center, in 2005－added to his A-list aura, with fans clad in red outfits flocking to catch a glimpse of their idol everywhere he appeared.

His zealous followers even turned practice sessions into standing-room-only occasions, with all of his endorsement events also in high demand in the city.

Shanghai extended its hospitality to Federer's family, with his wife Mirka warmly welcomed when she took their two sets of twins to Shanghai's Disneyland in 2018. After a sightseeing tour to the riverside Bund, Federer's father Robert said he was overwhelmed by the fun and love he experienced during his first trip to the city in 2019.

"My father told me, 'Can you please play next year so I can come back again?' He's having such a great time," Federer said during the 2019 tournament. "So I'm like, 'Alright. I will try my best to be back here again next year.' It was funny."

"I enjoy this a lot," Federer said of Shanghai. "It's so very different to where I come from. I have lived in many different places in Switzerland and traveled extensively, but China is pretty special, the way this city and this country are set up."

During his stays in China, Federer never hesitated to help the country's young tennis talents develop. At the 2013 Shanghai Masters, he partnered with Zhang Ze, taking China's then No 1 player under his wing at practice sessions and guiding him through their matches.

During the 2019 tournament, Federer partnered with Croatian ace Marin Cilic to take on local duo Wu Di and Hua Runhao at the Fan Day event, where he taught his Chinese pupils his signature shots in front of 17,000 spectators.

"I think having big tournaments like the Shanghai Rolex Masters are going to strengthen the future of Asian tennis," Federer said in 2018.

Federer's influence has reinforced this strengthening effect, and for that China is eternally grateful. Thank you, Roger.

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn