“I refuse to be in bed without my wife”

“She is great. I do not know where to start. It had a profound effect on my character. Maybe not in my game, but in me as a professional, because he was a professional tennis player before me, because he had more experience when I came on tour, and because he knew what hard work was; I was learning what that was.”

With this phrase, Roger Federer, who announced today that he is retiring from tennis, tried to define his wife, Slovakian Mirka Vavrinec, mother of his four children: Mila Rose (12), Charlene Riva (12), Leo (8) and Lenny (8).

They met at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, when Federer lost the bronze medal, and she was on the Slovakian women’s tennis team. And how many legends tell that Roger did not listen to the advice of his entourage, who told him: “Don’t do it, don’t be with herHe was there, they shot and love was born.

“I was a rookie and I had no idea how to organize myself. The reality is that in those two weeks in Australia we built a beautiful chemistry. And on the last day, when we all went our separate ways, something more than a kiss came. It led to something extraordinary for both of them,” Federer once said.

Mirka was born in Slovakia on April 1, 1978 under the name Miroslava Vavrinec. Two years later he moved to Switzerland, Roger’s land. She played in all four Grand Slam tournaments, reached the WTA No. 76 in 2001 and even had the pleasure of playing a mixed doubles match with the world’s best, that is, her husband, at the 2002 Hopman Cup.

with problems of chronic injuries of the right legMirka gradually gave up tennis a few years later.

“She made me grow and mature in my early years. After that, the support I got from her was always unconditional love; he was always there to help me. It made my life easier, no matter if I won or lost. I will always have her in my corner and she gives me a lot of stability,” Federer said throughout his career.

Mirka Vavrinec and the personalities of Roger Federer

This is at the beginning Federer was a very bad loserangrily protesting referees’ judgments and throwing his racquet in the air when things didn’t go his way, or even hitting them on the ground until they broke.

Then he changed his behavior, and Mirka’s hand was present in that. He forged a gentlemanly persona that inspired admiration and respect, and that’s what will be remembered most about his career beyond titles and records, the latter being the longest-running number one when he was 38 years old.

By accompanying her husband to every game of the box, Mirka Vavrinec he became a hero on the tennis circuit.

Mirka was the most faithful fan among the millions that the Swiss had around the world. He experienced the games with incredible intensityalthough his face did not show any awkward expressions.

At the moment of receiving one of the many hugs after his Wimbledon 2019 semi-final triumph over Rafa Nadal, Mirka uttered a phrase in English that will always be remembered: “My husband is Superman“, he assured.

They got married on April 11, 2009and soon after, they increased the family: on July 23 of the same year, the twins were born Mila and Charlene and 6 years later, the twins Leo and Lennyon 06.05.2014

“Ever since I met her, I’ve always wanted to start a family. My life has completely changed and it is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I refuse to sleep in bed without my wifeFederer once said.

But it’s not just in bed that Mirka is sensational for Roger. It is that for many years women have been in charge of managing everything related to their sponsors, media and setting your agenda. This is a real protective shield of her husband.

He calls him privately “Rochie” and, “look”.

“I was given a special talent to play tennis and I did it at a level I never imagined, much longer than I ever thought possible,” was one of the phrases specially chosen by the Swiss in a long farewell video message included on his social accounts networks Twitter and Instagram…

Behind everything else remained his devotion to his beloved Mirka.