'My parents were ashamed of me' - Roger Federer on how difficult he was as a teenager

Roger Federer has been a busy man lately, despite his absence from the court due to injury. Having launching his custom line of shoes called 'The Roger' earlier this week, the Swiss great has been making several other media appearances in his downtime.

Now in a freewheeling interview with German media outlet Zeit, Federer has spoken about his early tennis days, his rivalry with Rafael Nadal and his desire to keep playing the sport.

Roger Federer said at first that his parents invested a lot on his early tennis training, but were not convinced that he would make the best use of the opportunity.

“My parents spent around 30,000 Swiss francs a year to pay for my tennis training (around 28,000 euros). But they were skeptical about my ability to become a professional player."

The 20-time Grand Slam champion said that at 16, he had to take a decision between continuing school or focusing full-time on tennis. After deciding to turn all his attention to tennis, Roger Federer received a two-year ultimatum from his father to make something of himself in the sport.

"When I was 16, I asked them if I should leave school to get 100% involved in tennis. My father gave me two years to succeed. If I failed or were unable to become a professional player, I had to go back to school."

Perhaps Roger Federer was destined to succeed, as he became the top-ranked junior in the world in almost no time. From there, there would be no looking back.

"I told him to trust me and luckily I became World No. 1 in junior."

Roger Federer then gave his take on what makes tennis different from other sports, saying that it is a lonely pursuit where a player cannot seek assistance from anyone else during a match. That is also the reason why many players can be seen talking to themselves mid-match, according to the Swiss; they look at it as a form of self-therapy.

"Tennis is a very special sport. It is very difficult to spend hours and hours on the field, with a lot of tension and stress, and not even being able to ask for anything your family or your trainer," Federer said.

"This is why we speak to ourselves. Some may think that we are crazy, but sometimes we have to talk to ourselves to release the tension and regain the necessary concentration," he added.

Roger Federer also revealed that staying in the moment was a difficult proposition for him as a youngster. The Swiss legend often threw his racquet in anger when things didn't go his way; eventually his parents grew so exasperated of his on-court behavior that they stopped showing up for his matches.

"During a match, I constantly repeat myself to play point by point, to advance step by step. When I was a junior, I only criticized myself and with each exchange, I threw my racquet. My parents were ashamed of me and told me that they would no longer accompany me to any tournament."

Roger Federer's racquet-throwing tendency famously reared its ugly head during his straight-sets loss to Franco Squilari at the 2001 Hamburg Masters. It is worth noting here that Squillari is one of only two players - the other being Pat Rafter (3-0) - to have played multiple times against Roger Federer and never lost to the Swiss.

Recalling his loss to the Argentine in Hamburg that day, Roger Federer said that he not only played 'badly', but also projected himself in poor light.

“I remember a match against Franco Squillari in Hamburg 2001 (lost 6-3, 6-4), where I had given a very bad image of myself. I was playing badly and ended up breaking my racquet."

It turned out to be a match that would eventually change Roger Federer's tennis outlook and on-court demeanor for the better. After that meltdown the then teenager visited a psychologist, who helped him strike the right mental balance on the court.

"I saw how my family, my staff and my trainers looked at me and I felt that I could never again have this behavior on a court," said Roger Federer. "I realized that I definitely had to change. It was a long process and I got help from a psychologist. It took me two years to find the perfect balance between passion and calm."

Roger Federer s'est confié à un média allemand, notamment sur son enfance, sa rivalité avec Rafael Nadal, ses joueurs références, son état de forme...Un moment confession qui devrait ravir ses fanshttps://t.co/fXenGBmPXZ

— Tennis Break News (@tennisbreaknews) July 8, 2020

Roger Federer on the role models he took inspiration from

While growing up, Roger Federer adored Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg and incorporated a lot of the duo's attributes in his game.

“I became a tennis player thanks to Boris Becker. I loved his style, even if my favorite was Stefan Edberg," Federer said.

Roger Federer also mentioned that his compatriot Martina Hingis was another player who inspired him.

"I admired Martina Hingis also when I was young, I really appreciated her prowess."

Outside tennis, Roger Federer admires Michael Jordan and wants to see the Netflix documentary made on the legendary basketball player.

"Michael Jordan is a sportsman who has always inspired me," Federer said. "I have to watch The Last Dance (a Netflix documentary about the American star), I've heard a lot about it and I want to see it."

Roger Federer also revealed that the thought of filming snippets of his day-to-day life has crossed his mind on occasion. But the Swiss hasn't strode down that path yet, as he often travels with his family and is mindful about the need for privacy.

"I have sometimes thought of taking cameras that film my daily life, but it is not easy because I travel with family and I want to keep a little privacy."

Roger Federer talks about his best tennis memory and his rivalry with Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer won his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003.

Roger Federer revealed that his first win at Wimbledon is the best moment of his tennis career.

After three first-round defeats in his first four appearances at the tournament, Roger Federer won the first of his eight Wimbledon titles in 2003. The 20-time Grand Slam champion said that winning his first title at the grasscourt Major, which was also his first Grand Slam title, was a magical experience and a dream come true.

“My first win at Wimbledon is what comes to my mind spontaneously when asked. Winning this tournament was what I had always dreamed of when I was a child and suddenly seeing it come true, it was magic. It was the most beautiful and intense moment of my whole sporting life. "

Roger Federer also talked about the first time he met his good friend and arch-rival Rafael Nadal, recalling how the Spaniard came across as a shy person off the court but an epitome of passion and intensity on the court.

"When I met him the first time, he surprised me because he was extremely shy off the field and when you see him playing on a field ... The aggressiveness with which he plays is incredible."

Roger Federer also elaborated on his legendary rivalry with the Spanish left-hander, which many believe has transcended the sport. Federer and Nadal have crossed swords with each other for the biggest titles on the tour, with Nadal leading Federer 6-3 in Grand Slam finals and 7-5 in Masters 1000 title matches.

Roger Federer said that despite their fierce on-court battles, he and Nadal have tremendous mutual respect for each other and their families also get along well. Federer is aware that he and Nadal are role models for a legion of fans, which makes them mindful of their on-court behavior.

"There has always been a lot of rivalry between us and sometimes it was not easy. We had great duels, but we always respected each other. We knew that we were references for many people and represented this sport that we love so much. Our families get along very well, we always congratulate each (other after each) of our titles."

During a stellar 22-year long career, Roger Federer has been the epitome of excellence on the tennis court and a role model off it too. As he approaches the last leg of his playing career, the Swiss said that playing in front of a capacity crowd enthralls him the most.

“Before, I was only concerned with my health, but now I really feel the urge to play in a full stadium."

The 38-year-old also uttered the dreaded R-word, acknowledging that he is fast approaching the sunset of his illustrious career. But Federer then said he is still enjoying playing tennis, and is looking forward to joining the tour.

"I know the time for my retirement is approaching and I think I will miss the circuit a lot. I have to be patient and keep working. It would have been easy for me to retire now but I want to continue giving myself the opportunity to still enjoy tennis. The rehabilitation of my knee is going well, I will take my time to get back in shape."