Roger Federer of Switzerland speaks to journalists during a media event in Singapore Jan 4, 2013. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Tennis royalty was in town. Roger Federer, widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, was in Singapore on Friday for a one-day visit on the invitation of Credit Suisse. The Swiss world No 2 is a global ambassador for the bank.
Federer, the 17-time Grand Slam winner, met with members of the media for a brief question-and-answer session at the Credit Suisse office in the afternoon. He also had a short meet and greet with some local tennis juniors. On his way to Melbourne for next week's Australian Open, the 31-year-old discussed his preparations for the year's first Grand Slam.
He said: "I had a great season in 2012 and I'm not playing any leading up tournament because I thought practice is going to be very important for me in the upcoming year. I think it's going to be an exciting Australian Open with many of the top players playing very well. Personally I hope I can play well there."
Federer's schedule in Singapore will not include any public appearances.
This story was first published in The Straits Times newspaper on January 4, 2013. Read similar stories online in The Straits Times Sports section.