Princess Catherine joins forces with Roger Federer to honour the ‘unsung heroes’ of Wimbledon

The Princess of Wales has shown off her tennis skills after taking to the court alongside legendary Swiss player Roger Federer to highlight the role played by the ball boys and girls at Wimbledon.

In footage from the event shared to social media, Catherine and the tennis pro observe the training sessions undertaken by the ball boys and girls (BBGs) as they master the techniques needed prior to the commencement of Wimbledon.

The day began with an exhilarating doubles rally, featuring Catherine alongside Federer and two other players. Following this spirited match, Catherine took part in multiple training sessions, which encompassed crucial aspects such as signalling, seamless ball exchanges, rolling balls up to the net, and the proper technique to bounce for the players.

“The skill and dedication of the Ball Boys and Girls help make The Championships so special. They certainly taught us a few things!” a caption alongside the video read.

 

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Royal fans and tennis enthusiasts alike shared their enthusiasm for the initiative, commending Catherine for using her platform to highlight such a crucial aspect of the sport.

“What a great job is Kate doing as patron of The All England Lawn Tennis, and how lovely experience for the ball girls/boys sharing with Roger… royalty everywhere!” one person wrote.

“She is phenomenal- a real inspiration to young children.”

“She’s such an incredible person. An inspirational person. The only one Catherine Princess of Wales,” commented another.

“What an incredible video with Roger and how well the Princess highlights the skills that the BBGs develop during Wimbledon! I had no idea and loved the BTS aspect and was so impressed with their poise and dedication to sport!”

“They are amazing!! And I absolutely loved this video.. our Princess of Wales really can do it all.”

Catherine has long been associated with various sporting endeavours, in addition to her role as patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club she also recently marked her patronage as the face of the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League; a role previously held by her brother-in-law Prince Harry.

In celebration of her role, Catherine visited Twickenham Stadium on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, to meet England players from both the men’s and women’s squads.

At the time, The DailyMail reported that Kate looked “delighted to be stepping into her brother-in-law’s shoes and giggled, laughed and smiled” her way through the drills, led by head coach Eddie Jones.