Overview
- At the Australian Open’s Rod Laver Arena, Roger Federer defeated Casper Ruud 7-2 in an informal tie-break during a public practice session.
- He told ESPN he is a big fan of Lionel Messi and said comparisons between their careers are difficult.
- Federer said he will follow the 2026 World Cup closely and may attend, noting Switzerland has qualified.
- He recalled meeting Messi only once and said he also met the forward’s parents in Tigre during an exhibition with Juan Martín del Potro.
- The admiration is mutual, with Federer praising Messi in a 2023 Time essay and Messi lauding Federer when he retired in 2022.