Roger Federer Wants to Teach His Kids Everything He Knows - Facts from the Lives of His 2 Sets of Twins
Roger Federer's kids have something to look forward to now that their father, who has had several surgeries in the past few years, is retiring. He addressed his desire to end his competitive career in a Twitter post.
Roger Federer recently announced his retirement from tennis. He also appreciated his family, coaches, and fans, who have stood by him through the challenges and triumphs of his incredible 24-year tennis career.
Federer's announcement would be a fresh start, allowing him to spend more time with his children. His kids had witnessed him compete in various tennis tournaments around the world.
Charlene Riva, Myla Rose, Lenny, and Leo Federer at their father Roger Federer's match against Steve Johnson of the United States of America at the 2020 Australian Open on January 20, 2020, in Melbourne, Australia. | Source: Getty Images
Roger Federer Has 2 Sets of Twins
Roger has four children with his wife, Mirka Federer, who he married in April 2009 in Basel, Switzerland. Their kids are actually two sets of twins: sons Leo and Lennart; daughters Myla Rose and Charlene Riva.
The couple welcomed their twin daughters on July 23, 2009, while they gave birth to their twin sons on May 6, 2014. The pair managed to raise their children successfully despite traveling together in the world to compete in tennis.
Roger appears to be accustomed to having twins in the family because his maternal grandmother had a twin sibling. He is also a doting uncle to his only sister Diana Federer's twin children.
Mirka Federer with her twin daughters Myla Rose and Charlene Riva and twin sons Leo and Lennert, at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships on July 16, 2017, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
Roger Federer's Kids Already Play Tennis
Although all of his children play tennis, Roger said he "struggled" to get them started with playing the sport. He made it clear that he did not pressure them but encouraged them to do so. He added:
"Because I don't want to be the guy whose kids don't play tennis. especially not with my background and my wife's background.”
The children have an excellent opportunity to become tennis players. After all, their parents are professional tennis players; Roger and Mirka met at the Summer Olympics in Sydney in 2000.
Whether his kids pursued tennis or not, Roger said the most important thing to him was that they enjoyed whatever sport they chose. He said his mother, Lynette, told him that children must "put their hearts and souls into it."
Roger said his presence at home after tennis practices or matches was all that mattered to his kids.
According to the star athlete, his parents, Lynette and Roger Sr., were sports enthusiasts back in the day and never forced him to play any sport, even though they saw potential in him.
Mirka Federer with her four children, Myla Rose, Charlene Riva, Leo, and Lennert, at Wimbledon on July 14, 2019, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
Roger Tries to Spend Time with His Kids, No Matter What
Roger tries to spend as much time as possible with his children. During the pandemic lockdown, he occupied himself by spending two weeks with his children playing card games and building a Lego version of Harry Potter's castle.
They also put in a little table tennis set and spend considerable time there. The tennis star, who describes having kids as the "most incredible thing in the world," added that he enjoys exploring the world with his children, who share his passion for adventure.
He considers it a great privilege to travel to different places with them. With his children around, he has gained a new perspective on the cities he has visited. He said that going on a plane excites his children so much.
Charlene Riva, Myla Rose, Lenny, and Leo Federer at their father Roger Federer's match against Steve Johnson of the United States of America at the 2020 Australian Open on January 20, 2020, in Melbourne, Australia. | Source: Getty Images
Roger's Children Didn't Know Their Daddy Was Famous
Until recently, Roger's children had no idea their father was one of the greatest tennis players of all time. The tennis legend has admitted that his four children "don't care" about tennis and "didn't know" about his global tennis fame for a long time.
The typically reserved father has spoken candidly about the time he told his children about his tennis career. He claimed his family never paid much attention to his stature in the tennis world.
While Roger's wife, Mirka Federer, is a regular sight at his matches, his children have made far fewer appearances, which may explain their apparent unfamiliarity with his achievements.
Lennert Federer playfully pokes his brother Leo's face as they sit on the sidelines with their mother, Mirka Federer, at Wimbledon on July 8, 2019, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
Federer shared that his children were speechless when they learned from their pals that their father was the No. 1 tennis player in the world. He has revealed that his children are indifferent to his fame and have no interest in tennis.
Over the years, he has tried to promote tennis in his household, but his children are simply uninterested. Roger attempted to get them interested in picking up a racket and playing with him for fun, but so far, it was unsuccessful.
He said one could easily see the difference if kids choose to play with the ball or go running outdoors. Roger said his presence at home after tennis practices or matches was all that mattered to his kids.
Mirka Federer together with her twin daughters Myla Rose and Charlene Riva watch a match between Roger Federer of Switzerland and Alexander Zverev of Germany in the 2017 Hopman Cup on January 4, 2017, in Perth, Australia. | Source: Getty Images
Roger Was Mixing Up His Children
In the "73 Questions from Vogue," Roger admitted there was a time when he struggled to tell his children apart. He said that if his twins were standing with their backs to him, he may confuse them with each other.
Fortunately, he has grown to master the art of telling his children apart. He said: "But no, nowadays I'm a pro. Of course, I can tell them apart." He also said he learned the value of patience and snuggling from his children, saying, "it's been the best."
Gushing about how much he loved his two sets of twins, the doting father went on to say that he would like to teach his children "everything he knows and more."
Roger may be leaving behind his tennis career, but he has more exciting days ahead of him in the company of his wife and children. Soon, he will be able to give his whole and undivided attention to his lovely family.
Fans will surely miss the tennis legend and the thrill of watching him on the court but will also be happy to see him spending quality time with the people that mean the most to him.