Gabriela Sabatini recalls her coincidental encounter with Roger Federer

Former World number 1 Roger Federer has always been a big fan of women’s tennis. The 20-time Grand Slam champion has never hidden that he especially appreciated the magnificent rivalry between Gabriela Sabatini, Steffi Graff and Martina Hingis. When asked by a fan of his on Twitter, the Swiss champion defined ‘Gaby’ as ‘the nicest person I know and a fantastic player’ Last year, Federer played a series of exhibitions in South America with Alexander Zverev, but did not have the opportunity to meet Sabatini. She sent him an exciting video message. The former US Open champion opened up on her coincidental encounter with Federer on the streets of Zurich. “Obviously I admire Roger Federer. It is a pleasure to see him play. When we met once in the streets of downtown Zurich, it was a total coincidence,” Sabatini told Argentine newspaper La Nacion recently. “But it happened. I happened to be walking along Bahnhofstrasse, the city’s main street, and he was there with his wife and daughters. That was a few years ago. It was pure coincidence, although we are always in contact. When he came to Buenos Aires, he visited me. I really admire him very much. I had the chance to get to know you,” she added. Gabriela, who has just turned 50, won 27 titles in her career, not forgetting the silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and a final in Wimbledon three years later. Impossible to forget the four successes at the Foro Italico, as well as the two wins at the WTA Finals respectively in 1988 and 1994 (both based in New York).