Did you think Roger Federer was alone at Wimbledon? His cheeky response says otherwise

Roger Federer’s return to Wimbledon this year caused a lot of buzz, but one image from center court captured the imagination of tennis fans around the world. He was an eight-time winner of Wimbledon spotted sitting alone in the Royal Box during the latter stages of the game, long after most of the celebrities and guests had left. The sight of Federer quietly immersing himself in the action soon went viral on social media.

Former world number one Andy Roddick has now shed light on the moment, revealing that Roger Federer reacted cheekily when asked about his viral performance at Wimbledon.

On the Served podcast, Roddick recounted an exchange with his longtime rival and friend. “I texted him and said, ‘What’s going on?’ He was like, ‘Oh, you know, I just watch tennis and go out with all my friends’. There is no one around him. It was great,” Roddick said.

Andy texted Roger about his hilarious Wimbledon viral moment and the response was perfect.

Check out the full story now on Day 10, served fast! Link in bio! pic.twitter.com/F6TQLYNOxF— Served with Andy Roddick (@Served_Podcast) July 10, 2026

Federer, who will retire from professional tennis in 2022, was in attendance at the All England Club during the second week of the tournament. The 44-year-old remained in the Royal Box even as the proceedings stretched into the late hours of the evening, watching Alexander Zverev’s fourth-round clash against Jiří Lehecki following Arthur Fery’s marathon victory over Grigor Dimitrov. Play was eventually suspended due to Wimbledon’s 11pm curfew.

ROGER FEDERER’S LAST LINKS WITH WIMBLEDON

Few players share the same affinity for Wimbledon as Federer. The Swiss maestro won a record eight grass-court men’s singles titles and collected 20 Grand Slam crowns during his illustrious career. However, his achievements at SW19 remain unsurpassed in the men’s game Novak Djokovic recently broke Federer’s record of 105 Wimbledon wins.

Federer’s solo performance in the Royal Box drew widespread admiration from fans and pundits alike. Many praised the former world number one for staying back and watching the matches instead of leaving after the main attractions finished. Social media users described the gesture as a reflection of Federer’s enduring love for the sport and his respect for the players competing on Center Court.

The image also served as a reminder that despite leaving the competition almost four years ago, Federer remains deeply connected to Wimbledon. The scene came as no surprise to Roddick, who has lost three Wimbledon finals to the Swiss star.

The American has often spoken about Federer’s passion for tennis beyond trophies and records. This time, however, it was the simple image of Federer sitting alone in the Royal Box watching the game he once dominated that resonated with fans around the world.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

10 Jul 2026 10:57 IST