IMAGE: Roger Federer was stopped by a security guard for not carrying his membership card. Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Roger Federer revealed a hilarious incident when he was denied entry into Wimbledon — the same venue where he has won a record-breaking eight Grand Slam singles titles.
Interestingly, the 20-time Grand Slam champion was stopped by a security guard for not carrying his membership card.
“When you win Wimbledon, you become a member automatically. So, I’m like, ‘No, I don’t have my membership card but I am a member and I’m just wondering where I can get in’ and she said ‘Yeah, but you have to be a member’ and I was like, ‘I’m just asking you again where can I get in’ and she said ‘The other side, but you have to be a member’,” Federer told host Trevor Noah in an episode of The Daily Show.
When a player wins Wimbledon, he is also awarded the membership of the prestigious All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (ALTEC).
“So, I look at her one last time and ‘I’m so sorry’, I couldn’t believe and still can’t believe I said this and because I still feel bad about it. I’d look at her and say, ‘I have won this tournament eight times. Please believe me, I am a member’!” he added.
“When I said I won Wimbledon eight times, for a split second, I wasn’t sure if it was eight anymore because I thought it ‘was it seven, was it eight? I don’t know’. But I said it because I never talk like this.”
Federer went on to say that he had to drive to another gate before being recognised by a security guard, who took a picture with him and set up a meeting with the ALTEC chairman.
“And I thought of going over to the other side and giving a wave that I was in but I didn’t do it,” Federer joked.
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