Shanghai swoons over Federer again as legend holds court

One year into his retirement, Roger Federer remains Shanghai's all-time favorite, with or without a racket in his hand.

With world-class tennis on display and a lot going on at the Rolex Shanghai Masters' maiden upgraded edition, the Swiss legend's return to the tournament last week still easily stole the show at Qizhong Tennis Center, where fans have embraced him as their own and adored him since his first visit to the city in 2002.

The 20-time Grand Slam singles champion made his first appearance at the tournament in four years on Friday, since he last played at the tournament in 2019 before the pandemic break, only to realize that his popularity in the eastern metropolis has not waned at all.