Tennis star Federer meets MotoGP aces

Paying a visit to MotoGP´s own `Grand Slam´ weekend event, ATP Tennis World Number 1 Roger Federer was meeting some familiar faces in the paddock ahead of the day´s three races.

The Swiss star dropped in on countryman Thomas Luthi, with whom he shares a mutual sponsor, including a few encouraging words on the starting grid. He also had a brief chat with acquaintance Valentino Rossi, the Fiat Yamaha rider who moves in the same circles as the tennis ace.

`I know Valentino from the Laureaus Sports Awards, where we have talked a few times,´ said Federer. `He´s a nice guy and I always say that I will go to see him at a race. He came to see my first round match at Wimbledon last year. Thomas is associated with Emmi-Caffe Latte, and I know him from the national sports award when he beat me once!´

Aside from meeting friends, Federer also took in some of the most exciting races of the season so far, and left Estoril impressed by the talents on show.

`It´s a totally different world; I´ve never been to a MotoGP race before, and you can see that it´s very different to other sports. As a tennis player, I only have the racquet and strings, but this is more about the bike. What we have to deal with is simple compared to this!´