Brand Roger Federer was just about starting to gain momentum in 2008. While discussing the rise of this phenomenal tennis genius with my professor at Harvard, he used an interesting word to describe Roger Federer – SWISSNESS. What, pray is Swissness, I asked? Well, it is a unique blend of being premium, high-performance and elegant while constantly seeking and achieving excellence, he said. In all his tennis years, Brand Federer epitomized just that: an incredible Swissness.
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On his retirement from professional tennis earlier in the month, Roger Federer posted a heart-touching message on www.rogerfederer.com. Here are some excerpts, “… I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career. The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event.”
The last 24 years on tour have been an incredible adventure. While it sometimes feels like it went by in 24 hours, it has also been so deep and magical that it seems as if I’ve already lived a full lifetime. I have had the immense fortune to play in front of you in over 40 different countries. I have laughed and cried, felt joy and pain, and most of all I have felt incredibly alive. Through my travels, I have met many wonderful people who will remain friends for life, who consistently took time out of their busy schedules to come watch me play and cheer me on around the globe. Thank you.”
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“When my love of tennis started, I was a ball kid in my hometown of Basel. I used to watch the players with a sense of wonder. They were like giants to me and I began to dream. My dreams led me to work harder and I started to believe in myself. Some success brought me confidence and I was on my way to the most amazing journey that has led to this day.”
“So, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart, to everyone around the world who has helped make the dreams of a young Swiss ball kid come true …”. And so ended one of the most glorious chapters in tennis history.
The 41 year old Federer, as per Forbes, remained the highest-paid tennis player in the world for the 17th straight year, hauling in an estimated US$ 90 million before taxes and agents’ fees over the last 12 months despite not playing a single match. His compatriots, Rafael Nadal (US$ 31.4 million) and Novak Djokovic (US$ 27.1 million) were far far behind.
Roger Federer’s personal net worth, experts say, is upwards of US$550 million from a two decades plus long career which saw him earn almost US$1 billion in endorsements and over $115 million from playing tennis. That income has been amassed from a good mixture of earnings on the tennis court and endorsements of brands in advertising and wearing their clothing. Federer’s career peaked in terms of earnings in the year 2007 when he brought in US$10.1 million in earnings and was leading the game in tennis rankings worldwide. He went from modest earnings of US$28,000 in his breakthrough year in 1998 to 400 times that amount within the space of 10 years. The total amount earned by Roger Federer on the tennis courts, as mentioned above, was just over US$115 million from tournaments though Rafa Nadal (US$131 million) and Novak Djokovic (US$159 million) earned more from tennis.
At the peak of his career, Federer is said to have earned up to US$94 million per year in endorsements, contributed largely by Barilla, Credit Suisse Group (ADS), JURA, Lindt & Sprungli, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Mercedes-Benz, NetJets, On, RIMOWA, Rolex, Sunrise Communications AG, Switzerland Tourism, Uniqlo and Wilson Sporting Goods. Nike used to be Federer’s apparel sponsor until 2018. After the Nike contract expired, he signed a contract worth US$300 million for ten years with the Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo. Rolex was possibly Roger Federer’s oldest endorsement. The sign-up brought him US$ 15 million a year. By the way, Swiss apparel maker On, whose shoes Federer has been sporting on court since 2021, has the tennis ace as one of its shareholders.
