Roger plays on roof with Italian teens

Rome, August 2

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You can trust Roger Federer to do heartwarming in the worst of times. Two teenaged Italian girls, Vittoria and Carla, became internet celebrities in April after a video of them playing tennis on two different rooftops in their hometown, Finale Liguria, went viral. They couldn’t not have dreamt that Federer would play with them across the same roofs made famous by them during the lockdown.

The 38-year-old Swiss master, impressed by their perseverance, paid them a visit and joined the duo in a friendly match. “Personally for me, that was a very special moment in my career as a tennis player,” Federer said. “To surprise a fan, or children, like I was able to with Carla and Vittoria today.”

The original video was an huge hit on social media, earning millions within a day of being uploaded.

Federer got in on the action, rallying with the girls across the same rooftops. “It was great. I have played in many cool places around the world. But this is definitely up there for me as a special experience,” Federer said.

It was a surprise for the girls, who had been set up for a mock interview before TV cameras — when Federer suddenly made his appearance, making their jaws drop in amazement.

Federer revealed he had another surprise for the girls — he and a sponsor would send them to the Rafa Nadal Academy. — Agencies