A remarkable mix of tennis royalty and British royalty took place at this year’s Wimbledon when Catherine, Princess of Wales, joined forces with tennis legend Roger Federer. As a prominent patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Kate often visits the Royal Box during tournaments. However, this time she took her involvement to a new level by actively participating in the Wimbledon experience.
Kate had the opportunity to interact with the tournament’s ballboys and girls, immersing herself in their training activities. In an emotional moment, she even took to the court for a doubles match with Federer. To everyone’s surprise, the princess managed to earn a point against the eight-time Wimbledon champion with a brilliant passing shot while standing at the net.
The crowd erupted in applause, and Federer expressed his surprise in good spirit, saying, “I think it was on the line, amazing,” as seen in a video released by tournament organizers. The lively encounter demonstrated a friendly camaraderie between the two, with Federer applauding Kate’s success and offering her thumbs up.
Closely associated with the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Kate has been a regular Wimbledon attendee, often seen enjoying the prestigious Royal Box. His involvement has expanded further, as he recently took on the role of presenting the trophy to the winning players of the tournament. During the chat with Federer, Kate also sought his guidance on her serve, getting valuable feedback from the 20-time Grand Slam champion, who praised her for executing it well.
For Federer, the Wimbledon meeting brought back memories of his own tennis journey, as he once served as a ball boy in his hometown of Basel, Switzerland. Impressed by the practice session with the ball boys and girls, Federer remarked, “It’s proper practice, I’m really impressed,” as he engaged in ball rolling and court sprints.
Amid the light-hearted exchange, Kate showed off her skills with an impressive one-handed catch. However, Federer playfully reminded him that catching the ball is not allowed at Wimbledon, as a nearby ball girl added, “Nice catch, though.” The playful moment added a touch of joy and laughter to the event, blending the worlds of tennis grandeur and regular attention.
