ARGENTINA: TENNIS - Tennis star Roger Federer on a three-day visit to Argentine, meets with President Fernandez and delights fans with workshop

Record ID: 447240

  • Title: ARGENTINA: TENNIS - Tennis star Roger Federer on a three-day visit to Argentine, meets with President Fernandez and delights fans with workshop
  • Date: 12th December 2012
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE, ARGENTINA (DECEMBER 12, 2012) (REUTERS) FANS WAITING FOR TENNIS STARS ROGER FEDERER AND JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO VARIOUS OF DEL POTRO AND FEDERER ARRIVING AND PEOPLE APPLAUDING
  • Embargoed: 27th December 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA1XS60UD4OA76T3447A1D35ZUR
  • Story Text: Swiss tennis player Roger Federer got rock star treatment during his visit to Argentina on Wednesday (December 12), meeting with President Cristina Fernandez and delighting fans at a workshop.
    Federer is currently number two on the ATP rankings behind Serbia's Novak Djokovic, but is considered by many critics and peers to be the best tennis player of all time.
    On a three-day visit to Buenos Aires, Federer chatted with Fernandez and signed a racket for the president.
    Excited fans lined up outside courts in the northern Buenos Aires suburb of Tigre to await the arrival of Federer and local star Juan Martin del Potro, currently number seven on the ATP rankings.
    Federer, known for his silky smooth style and unshakable disposition, delighted star-struck locals by taking to the court, hitting balls and giving out pointers.
    Among the ecstatic locals was Santiago Cosentino.

    "Great, it's great. I've always wanted to play with him and I learned to play tennis when I was four years old," Cosentino said.
    Lucas Ariel Lopez was equally as excited.

    "It's like you get a bit dizzy. Because he's number one and I'm hitting balls with him. It's just great," he said.
    Federer and del Potro were scheduled to play two friendly matches at the Tigre's Pipa stadium. Both matches at the 20-000-person stadium were sold out.
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