Roger Federer reunites with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar at Wimbledon 2024

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and tennis icon Roger Federer caught up with each other at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club during the ongoing 2024 Wimbledon Championships on Saturday (July 6). The two legends met at a social setting at the club after watching some matches on the sixth day of Wimbledon.

Tendulkar was a guest in the Royal Box along with his wife Anjali at the Centre Court to watch fourth seed Alexander Zverev’s 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(15) victory over local favorite Cameron Norrie in the third-round match.

Federer, meanwhile, made an appearance at the SW19 to watch 14th seed Ben Shelton's 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Denis Shapovalov in the third-round match, a day after his wife Mirka was spotted in the stands watching Jannik Sinner vs Matteo Berrettini’s second-round contest.

The two legends had a chance to catch up and exchange pleasantries after their respective matches, and posed for a picture together. Wimbledon’s official X account posted the photo where Federer looked dapper in a grey suit, while Tendulkar donned a beige-colored suit.

"You never know who you’ll bump into at #Wimbledon," the caption read.

Tendulkar received a warm welcome from the Centre Court crowd when he was introduced by the announcer. The 51-year-old acknowledged the applause with folded hands and a smile.

Watch the video below:

The announcer also introduced three other cricket stars who were present in the Royal Box, England’s Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Joe Root. They also received a hearty response from the crowd, as did Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who was also among the VIP guests.

Tendulkar and Federer have been fans of each other’s game for years. Tendulkar, who is widely regarded as the greatest batter of all time, has been a frequent attendee at the Wimbledon, and a supporter of the 20-time Grand Slam champion.

The two have exchanged compliments and messages on social media, and have met several times in the past, most notably during the 2011 Wimbledon Championships.

Roger Federer (L) and Sachin Tendulkar at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships

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Roger Federer once named Sachin Tendulkar as his top pick for cricket video games

Roger Federer (L) and Sachin Tendulkar at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships

During the 2014 International Tennis Premier League (IPTL), Roger Federer revealed that he always picks Sachin Tendulkar as a playable character in cricket video games.

"Sachin Tendulkar. I met him when he visited Wimbledon," the Swiss said when asked about his favorite Indian sportsperson (via The Times of India, 2015). "He was a lot of fun to talk to – and he is a legend. Whenever I play cricket video games, I always pick Sachin as my batsman."

The Swiss also recalled his chat with Tendulkar at Wimbledon in 2011, which he said was a memorable moment for him.

"I'm glad I got to meet him, we had tea in the terrace at Wimbledon. I remember the meeting clearly," he said (via The Times of India, 2013). "I enjoy meeting great athletes. It is an experience for me. I like picking their brains, seeing how it works. I enjoyed my time with Sachin."

Roger Federer announced his retirement in 2022 after a stellar career that included 20 Grand Slam titles. The Swiss played his final event at the Laver Cup in London. Tendulkar, the "Master Blaster" of cricket, retired in 2013 with an unmatched record of 100 international centuries and over 34,000 runs.