Sania Mirza believes Roger Federer is not only special because of his achievements in the sport, but also due to his humility and off-court gestures.
Mizra, currently ranked as No. 1 in the women's doubles ranking, talked about Federer's good nature in her newly-published autobiography "Ace Against Odds." The 29-year-old recalls in her book that Federer's "warmth and care" for his colleagues separates him from others and makes the Swiss Maestro one of kind.
"Federer also surprised me many months later with a message of concern when Mumbai was tragically struck by terrorist attacks on November 26th, 2008. I think this is what makes Roger very special because apart from being a legend, a genius and the greatest ever, he remains warm, caring, accessible, untouched by fame, and a thorough gentleman," Mirza wrote, reports The India Times.
Meanwhile, Federer has had a rough season as he approaches his next competition without any titles, mostly because of the injuries and setbacks the Swiss sustained this year. But Federer showed a glimpse of his old self at Wimbledon, although the 34-year-old fell short of reaching the final round after getting defeated by Milos Raonic in the semifinal stage of the tournament.
Federer will have a chance to bounce back next week at the Rogers Cup in Toronto, where he joins career rivals Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray before heading to Brazil for the 2016 Rio Olympics. But there were concerns over Federer's condition following his disappointing Wimbledon exit.
During the final set of his match against Raonic, Federer took a slip and hurt his surgically-repaired left knee, quickly raising concerns for another setback that may hinder Federer's momentum to getting back on track.
Federer's agent Tony Godsick has confirmed a week ago that there were no "additional damage" to his left knee, bringing a sigh of relief to fans. But it still something to keep an eye on, given the series of injuries and setbacks Federer's body absorbed this season.
"With the body that's been, you know, playing up this year, I just hope I'm going to be fine," Federer said regarding his latest injury scare.