Roger Federer was once bizarrely denied entry to Wimbledon after a peculiar incident with a security guard.
Despite his retirement in 2022 after an impressive career with 20 Grand Slam titles, including eight Wimbledon victories, Federer, who is celebrating his 43rd birthday this Thursday, once revealed that there was a time he couldn’t gain access to SW19. Here are the humorous details from the ludicrous tale.
The comical incident involving a stern Wimbledon security guard at the All England Club was sparked by Federer forgetting his membership card. The five-time US Open champion was halted by club officials as he attempted to enter the grounds and was unequivocally told he could not proceed.
In 2022, Federer expanded on what happened on The Daily Show: “I didn’t want to tell Wimbledon that I was going to be there because I didn’t know if I was going to have time to visit. [When my] doctor’s appointment was done, I saw that I had two hours to kill, so we went to try and have tea at Wimbledon.
“I’ve not been there before when the tournament is not on, so I drive up to the gate, I go and speak to the security lady and say, ‘Hello, I’m just wondering how I can get into Wimbledon’, and she asked about a membership card. When you win Wimbledon, you become a member automatically.”
The typically calm star admitted that he lost his cool after being repeatedly denied entry for not having the membership card. He eventually had to put aside his pride and inform the stony-faced official that he had won the tournament multiple times in an attempt to gain access.
Federer recalled the moment with a mix of disbelief and humour: “I was like, ‘I’m just asking you again where can I get in?’ and she said, ‘The other side, but you have to be a member.’ I look at her one last time and I’m in a panic – I’m so sorry, I couldn’t believe it and I still can’t believe I said this because I still feel bad about it – I look at her and say, ‘I have won this tournament eight times. Please, believe me, I am a member.'”
Despite his stature as a veritable tennis legend, the guard remained unfazed, leaving Federer no choice but to find another way in. “I got back in the car. My coach is like, ‘Oh good, where do we get in? And I’m like, ‘Don’t talk. Let’s go up and around the gate’. So, then I go out and I go around on the other side,” he added.