Roger Federer's connection to New York City is unmistakable, both on and off the court. Throughout this week, TENNIS.com will take a closer look at this unique bond between person and place through the eyes of celebrities, Federer's closest confidants and fans from around the five boroughs.
You can view all of our special Roger Federer & New York City content here.
Tennis’ popularity and global crosscurrents have made for some interesting bedfellows. The mutual admiration society between Roger Federer and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda is one of the more unusual pairings, at least at first blush.
The five-time U.S. Open champion and the multiple Tony- and Pulitzer-prize winning Broadway megastar have never met. But Miranda is an avid tennis fan—and very public Federer devotee. Federer, who enjoys a good performance as much as anyone, caught Hamilton during the 2015 U.S. Open and was spellbound. When he gushed about the musical in a post-match interview, an online bromance was born. Miranda responded on Twitter:
“Thank YOU, @rogerfederer. I wrote half the thing while watching you play.”
Federer was equally impressed.
“I saw Hamilton during the Open, and thought it was mind blowing,” Federer told TENNIS. “The amount of speed and text that they were singing and rapping was jaw-dropping. The show kept me entertained from start to finish, and it was also a fun way to learn and experience some history about one of America’s founding fathers.”
During this year’s Australian Open, Miranda picked up the thread again. The Broadway maestro seemed more preoccupied with Federer’s surprising run than his Oscar nomination for the original song “How Far You’ll Go” from the movie Moana. He relayed the Oscar nod to fans by saying his phone rang when watching the tournament on tape delay.
Miranda added that he was “very grateful” for the nomination—and in the same tweet begged: “DON’T SPOIL THE FEDERER MATCH I STILL HAVEN’T FINISHED.”
Federer is happy to help. “I did know that he was a tennis fan and that he once said that he wrote half of Hamilton watching my matches,” says Federer. “I would like to invite him so he can watch my matches live and not on tape delay.”
What do a New York native of Puerto Rican descent and a Swiss athlete have in common? There are synergies. Both men are artists that love the big stage. Both are boundary-bending innovative forces. Both are husbands and fathers in their mid-30s (Miranda, 37, is 16 months older than Federer). Both have used the Big Apple as a launching pad to stardom and appreciate its diverse culture.