Across sports, there are hardly more recognizable faces than Stephen Curry and Roger Federer. Three years after he retired, Federer is still the face of the sport to many, and he and Curry shared a moment during Saturday’s Laver Cup showdown.
Before a singles match between Carlos Alcaraz (Team Europe) and Taylor Fritz (Team World), the two iconic athletes stepped out onto the hard court at Chase Center to flip the coin to see who serves.
Curry flipped the coin, Alcaraz elected to receive, but would go on to lose to Fritz in straight sets. However, the pre-match moment between Federer and Curry stole the show.
Fans React to Curry and Federer
Curry, of course, is the king of the Chase Center and is perhaps the Bay Area’s most iconic athlete ever (sorry, Joe Montana). Federer doesn’t really have a San Francisco connection, although his last match before retiring in 2022 was at the Laver Cup.
The two superstars drew plenty of attention online after their appearance.
“Two great ambassadors for their sport,” gushed a fan on social media.
“I wasn’t expecting this duo,” posted another.
“These are the 2 best effortless athletes of all time,” added a third, citing both Federer’s and Curry’s on-court grace. “Universal respect and fans wherever they go. Will never be anybody like them in their respective sports. Such unique talents.”
Of course, not everyone was as star-struck, offering observations of their own.
“Steph Curry looks really tall next to non NBA players,” joked a fan. Curry is 6-foot-2, two inches shorter than Fritz, although at most of his appearances at Chase Center, he is one of the smallest people on the court.
“Is Agassi not a great?” asked another. Andre Agassi, an eight-time Grand Slam winner, was also on the court, although he did not get the same recognition.
Stephen Curry Is a Tennis Fan
Off the basketball court, Curry might be best known for his enthusiasm surrounding golf, although that’s not the only sport he enjoys. Curry was spotted in New York earlier in September watching Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner in the US Open.
Federer, on the other hand, has a soft spot for basketball and cited the 1990s Orlando Magic for getting him into the NBA, although, like most stars, it seems the Los Angeles Lakers are his favorite team.
After Curry ends his illustrious career with the Golden State Warriors, one can expect to find him on the links more than the tennis court, although with high-profile stars like Federer vying to spend time with him, his impending retirement will be busier than he initially thought.
The Laver Cup will end on September 21, and after Fritz dispatched Alcaraz, Team World had a commanding lead over Team Europe heading into the final day of competition.