Impressed with his first visit to India, top-ranked tennis player of the world and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Roger Federer on Friday said he would visit the country again and try to garner more assistance for the tsunami victims.
CUDDALORE: Impressed with his first visit to India, top-ranked tennis player of the world and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Roger Federer on Friday said he would visit the country again and try to garner more assistance for the tsunami victims.
After spending 45 minutes at an orphanage here, the nine-time Grand Slam champion said he would devote more time for social service.
"I would rather step in early than late. I am in the prime of my career. I am making so much money and I realize how lucky I have been.”
"I have been trying to tell them (the children) that I shall always be there for them. My first trip to India has been great. I will come back," said Federer, who was here as a part of the UNICEF tsunami recovery programme.
However, a drama coincided with the tennis superstar's visit as UNICEF, which organised the visit, did not allow the local mediamen, except for a few from the 'international media,' to interact with the Swiss.
After a few minutes of heated exchange, the local presspersons, who had been waiting for an hour, was allowed to meet the tennis ace.
Federer, who refrained from fielding any question on tennis, said he made some good friends during his visit to India.
"Kids are the future. I inspire them and in turn they inspire me. I have made some really good friends here. I spent sometime with the children. I know what their names are, what they study," he said.
"I am happy to see happy faces in all the kids here...both young and old. It's nice to see that a great programme is happening here. You can be proud of the government and the people and UNICEF who have helped in this," Federer said.
To another query, he said he was in Dubai when tsunami occurred and he was very emotional when he saw it on television. "We tried our best to raise as much money possible on the ATP tour that time," he said.
Earlier, Federer visited the Integrated Child Development Scheme Centre (ICDS) at Thazhanguda village here, where he met school children, who displayed their puppetry skills.
The world No 1 player was accompanied by his girlfriend and manager Miroslava Mirkaa Vavrinec, a former WTA player.
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