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'Nearly crying': Story behind Maradona's meeting with Roger Federer

riley morgan
Sports Reporter
·2-min read
Roger Federer (pictured left) and the late Diego Maradona (pictured right) pose for a photo.
Roger Federer (pictured left) and the late Diego Maradona (pictured right) attend the ATP World Tour Finals at O2 Arena on November 23, 2010 in London, England. (Getty Images)

The photographer behind numerous photos of the moment when football legend Diego Maradona met Roger Federer has revealed the Argentine’s excitement to meet the tennis great.

Jorge Ferrari, a UAE-based photographer, was a the 2013 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships where Maradona was in attendance.

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He claimed Maradona had come to watch the 20-time Grand Slam champ and was keen to meet him after the tournament.

“He came to watch Roger Federer. At the end of the match, Maradona wanted to meet Federer,” Ferrari told Khaleej Times.

“So we went with him through the Dubai stadium tunnel which has all the pictures of the tournament champions and he kept stopping and kissing the Federer pictures (he has won the tournament a few times).”

Ferrari said Maradona was nearly shed tears in excitement when meeting the Swiss champ.

“When Federer eventually arrived there after the end of his match, Maradona was nearly crying. He hugged and kissed him,” Ferrari added.

“Maradona was really in awe of Federer. It was not like people like us meeting Federer, you know. It was Maradona meeting Federer. But he was super excited like he was some little kid meeting his idol.”

Tennis world pays respects to Maradona

The tennis world has paid respect to the footballing legend after his death this week.

Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic both tweeted their respects to the legend.

While fellow Argentine Diego Schwartzmann recently admitted he was named after the legend.

“Today the world of sport in general and football in particular has a void,” Nadal tweeted.

“Maradona was one of the greatest athletes in history.

“What he did in football remains.

“My sincere and heartfelt thoughts go out to his family, the world of football and all of Argentina.”

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