"Best speech ever": Roger Federer's hilarious address to graduates
Roger Federer has gone viral for all the right reasons after giving a hilarious and inspirational speech to a group of graduates.
The Swiss tennis legend addressed the 2024 graduating class at prestigious Ivy League university Dartmouth, where he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters for his charity and philanthropic pursuits since retiring from tennis in 2022.
The 25-minute speech has been widely dubbed as "the best speech ever" online, as he quipped about the highlights of his illustrious career while sharing sage advice for the new grads.
“Hello class of 2024, this is so exciting,” Federer began while wearing a college gown.
“I’m so excited to join you today, really you have know idea how excited I am. Keep in mind this is literally only the second time I’ve ever set foot on a college campus. But for some reason you are giving me a doctorate degree."
“I just came here to give a speech, but I get to go home as 'Dr Roger'. That’s a pretty nice bonus, 'Dr Roger' just has to be my most unexpected victory ever. Thank you.”
After stating he will “try my best not to choke”, Federer went on to give a hilarious and heartwarming speech, complete with a number of life lessons.
The 42-year-old shared that he left school at 16 and never went to college, but had recently “graduated tennis” with his retirement making international headlines.
“I know the word is ‘retire’,” he said. “‘Roger Federer retired from tennis’. Retired. The word is awful."
“You wouldn’t say you ‘retired’ from college, right? Sounds terrible. Like you, I’ve finished one big thing and I’m moving on to the next. Like you, I’m figuring out what that is."
“Graduates, I feel your pain. I know what it’s like when people keep asking what your plan is for the rest of your life. They ask me ‘now that you are not a professional tennis player, what do you do?’ I don’t know and it’s OK not to know.”
Among his advice, Federer insisted that “effortless is a myth”, referring to a word that was often used to describe his appearance on court, and urged the graduates to prioritise working hard.
“The truth is, I had to work very hard to make it look easy,” he said. "I spent years whining, swearing, throwing my racquet, before I learned to keep my cool.”
He also spoke about one match in particular, perhaps the most memorable from his career.
“I tried not to lose. But I did lose,” he said.
"Sometimes big. For me, one of the biggest was the finals at Wimbledon in 2008. Me versus Nadal. Some call it the greatest match of all time. OK, all respect to Rafa, but I think it would have been way, way better if I had won."
“Losing at Wimbledon was a big deal because winning Wimbledon is everything.”
Before wrapping up his speech, the sporting legend ended with some practical tennis advice after he asked Dartmouth president Sian Beilock to pass him a tennis racquet.
“OK, so for your forehand, you’ll want to use an eastern grip,” he said.
“Keep your knuckles apart a little bit. Obviously, you don’t want to squeeze the grip too hard.
“Switching from forehand to backhand should be easy. Also, remember it all starts with the footwork and the take-back is as important as the follow-through."
“No, this is not a metaphor. It’s just good technique.”
Federer then ended his address with a wholesome message for the graduates, saying, “I will never forget this day and I know you won’t either.”
“You have worked so hard to get here and left nothing on the court. From one graduate to another, I can’t wait to see what you all do next. Whatever game you choose, give it your best. Go for your shots. Play free. Try everything."
“And most of all, be kind to one another and have fun out there.”
Image credits: Instagram - Dartmouth