"Roger Federer was the one who showed that it's okay to laugh" - Jim Courier says Swiss legend showed players how to do fun on-court interviews

Roger Federer is not just responsible for beautifying tennis but also for bringing on-court interviews to life, according to Jim Courier. The American recently spoke about Federer's contribution to tennis while also recalling the 2022 Laver Cup, where the Swiss legend couldn't hold back his tears during his retirement speech.

Apart from his aesthetically pleasing game style, Roger Federer left a mark on fans with the way he carried himself during his 24-year-long career. During his on-court interviews and press conferences, the 20-time Slam champion often made fun of himself and created light-hearted moments that made everyone tickle.

Courier, a four-time Grand Slam winner himself, has been conducting on-court interviews for many years, and he recently pointed out the change that he noticed. Speaking on the AO Show, the 52-year-old stated that Federer taught others how to talk more honestly about themselves and how to sell themselves to the audience in a more appealing way.

"Players these days, they know that they're still performing when they're in the interview, they know they're still selling themselves to the audience and showing a little bit more of themselves," Courier said. "It's really because Roger Federer showed that it was okay to do that. He was the one who showed that it's okay to laugh at himself and to show a little bit more and talk a little bit more about himself off the court."

The Swiss maestro played his last professional match alongside Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup last September. This was followed by Courier interviewing Federer, who was extremely emotional while reflecting on his amazing journey.

Courier stated that he couldn't imagine experiencing a moment like that again, adding that it was a very meaningful farewell.

"That one has a lot of deep meaning because it represents the kind of end of his career. It represents him giving sort of a synopsis in many ways of his career and then the people that got him there and it was an emotional moment that I'm not going to be involved in an interview again, I can't imagine," he said.

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"Watching Federer is like looking at a work of art" - Carlos Alcaraz

Former World No.1 during the 2021 Wimbledon

Speaking to Vogue recently, Carlos Alcaraz stated that while he admired compatriot Rafael Nadal a lot, it was Roger Federer who captivated him while growing up.

“Rafa is someone I’ve always watched. I admire him a lot," Alcaraz said. "But Federer, the class he had, the way he got people to see tennis, that was beautiful. Watching him is like looking at a work of art. It’s elegance, he did everything magnificently. I became enchanted by him.”

Alcaraz added that he understood the magnitude of the Big-3's achievements only after winning his first Major at the 2022 US Open. According to the young Spaniard, the odds of their achievements being replicated are almost impossible.

"What Rafa, Roger, and Djokovic have done is almost impossible. I think when you’ve won your first Grand Slam you realise how complicated that is," he said.