Roger Federer Allows Racket From Wimbledon Title Run To Go Up For Auction
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Eight-time Wimbledon winner Roger Federer has decided to auction off a racket used during one of his successes at the iconic Grand Slam.
Federer's Wimbledon titles came in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, and 2017. Obtaining a racket used in any of those memorable runs would be something cherished by thousands of tennis fans worldwide.
The racket Federer is auctioning off is from 2004. He defended his maiden title from 2003 by defeating Andy Roddick in the final. Federer would play Roddick in two other Wimbledon finals, winning them both.
In 2004, Federer established himself as the best player in the world. The Swiss maestro began that season with one Grand Slam to his name at the previous year's Wimbledon but added three more major titles by the end of 2004.
That means the 2004 Wimbledon was the first time he had successfully defended a Grand Slam, which would make a racket used during that title run of particular interest to fans of his around the globe.
Federer's racket from that year's Wimbledon is from the final, making it even more valuable. It is currently up for auction by Prestige Memorabilia, which auctions off several rare items from iconic players throughout the sport's history.
The racket is also signed for long-term Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and her daughter, Bee Shaffer. Federer's signature on the racket reads "To Anna + Bee, Roger Federer."
While the exact price at which the racket will sell cannot be known for sure at this point, the eventual figure is estimated to be around $100,000, proving how valuable and desired a racket is from one of Federer's greatest successes.
The current bid for the racket is $17,716, and the auction will be open until February 9th. That gives fans and memorabilia collectors plenty of time to make a bid, and the number will almost certainly rise significantly in the coming days.
It has been over two years since Federer retired at the Laver Cup and more than three years since he played his final professional match at Wimbledon in 2021. Yet, the 43-year-old remains one of the biggest names in sports.
That reality is demonstrated by the estimations of his racket eventually selling for over $100,000. Federer continuing to have such relevance years after his final ATP match shows how he was tennis' flagship star for so long.
Novak Djokovic, who could be injured for a couple of months, is now the most statistically successful tennis player ever and has eclipsed most of Federer's records. The Serbian being one Wimbledon title behind his former rival's record of eight is an exception.
While Djokovic is broadly considered the greatest tennis player ever, a strong argument can be made that Federer is the most important person ever to pick up a racket because he revitalized the game during the 2000s.
Federer raised the level of tennis and did so with a uniquely elegant and graceful style. The mark he has left on the sport goes beyond titles won, and that is why some are willing to pay tens of thousands to have a piece of memorabilia from his career.
