Roger is everywhere but we still love him

April 9, 2021, No comments

Just when you thought Roger Federer couldn’t get anymore ubiquitous, up he pops as the new face of Switzerland Tourism. Well, not that new seeing as it’s Roger, but new as a tourism ambassador. And about time too. Federer is as much part of brand Switzerland as Heidi and holey cheese. He’s already put his personal choices up on the Switzerland Tourism website.

But that’s not all. A great new book is available next week in Switzerland (and already out elsewhere): Footsteps of Federer, by Dave Seminara. The author is a big fan of Mr F and makes a pilgrimage from America to almost every place in Switzerland connected to the man. It’s a fun read, as we go along for the ride with Dave to places like Einsiedeln Abbey, the hills of Graubünden, and of course Roger’s home town. As a tennis player and New York Times journalist, Dave also gets to see Roger play, and win.

What I really loved about the book is how Dave gets to the heart of the Swiss soul. It’s all about how Roger is a star but not a celebrity: no cults please, we’re Swiss. And how privacy is paramount and normality is treasured, even when it comes to the GOAT. Naturally as Dave is from the US, he has that typical American obsession with the price of food here but I’ll forgive him that because he tells a good yarn.

The book is out on 15 April and can be ordered online from Orell Füssli, Payot, or your local bookshop. There’s also a Kindle version and an audiobook.

Lastly, let’s not forget that if you live in Switzerland, it’s hard to escape Roger singing on TV at the moment. Yes, singing. He won’t ever win The Voice but with a little help from his friends, he pulls it off. It’s an advert, by the way. Roger does quite a lot of those.

All of this in good time for Federer’s 40th birthday in August.