Roger Federer found himself sitting alone in the Wimbledon Royal Box on Monday as spectators made a swift exit following an epic five-set match. The Swiss tennis icon, an eight-time Wimbledon champion, was the only recognizable figure left in the exclusive seating area for a brief period.
Federer's Day at Wimbledon
Federer attended Alexander Zverev's match against Jiri Lehecka, his third match of the day, from one of the most coveted seats in the house. Earlier, he had watched Jasmine Paolini defeat Alex Eala in the opening fixture on Centre Court. He remained seated as British talent Arthur Fery clinched a thrilling five-set victory over Grigor Dimitrov, 7-5, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(7).
Sudden Departure of Guests
After nearly four hours of play, many distinguished guests retreated inside the Royal Box, likely for dinner or a comfort break between matches. When Zverev and Lehecka stepped onto the court, the BBC cameras captured Federer as the sole occupant in the seating area. The moment was a stark contrast to the usual buzz around the tennis legend.
Fery's Tribute to Federer
Federer was acknowledged by Arthur Fery, who pointed to the 44-year-old in the stands and said: "First time on this court. Five sets against an absolute legend of the game. I grew up five minutes from here. We've got probably the greatest of all time in the front row watching. I saw him." Fery had previously credited Federer for inspiring his career, recalling watching the 2014 final between Djokovic and Federer on Centre Court.
"I've watched matches on Centre Court before," Fery explained. "I watched the final in 2014, I think Djokovic-Federer. That's my main memory of watching a big match there." Despite his admiration, Fery's performance kept the crowd engaged, leading to the mass departure that left Federer momentarily alone.
