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'Meant so much to me': Fans erupt over Roger Federer announcement

Roger Federer, pictured here wearing a hat with the RF logo in 2011.
Roger Federer wears a hat with the RF logo in 2011. (Photo by JACQUES DEMARTHON/AFP via Getty Images)

Roger Federer has sent fans into a frenzy after announcing the reintroduction of apparel featuring his iconic ‘RF’ logo.

The Swiss tennis legend hasn’t been able to use the logo for two years after his sponsorship switch from Nike to Uniqlo in 2018.

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Nike trademarked the ‘RF’ during Federer’s time with the sponsorship giants, and held onto the rights when he jumped ship to Japanese rivals Uniqlo.

However Federer reclaimed the rights to the logo earlier this year.

On Tuesday he delighted fans by showing off some new Uniqlo ‘RF’ hats.

“That’s right. The RF cap is back,” Federer said in a video message to fans on Twitter.

“After a long wait and extensive fine-tuning, UNIQLO and I are extremely excited to announce the return of the RF hat in 8 fresh colours starting December 8th, 2020,” Federer also wrote.

“This hat has meant so much to me and to my fans over the years.

“It has given us a way to visibly connect, and I have appreciated the opportunity to thrive off this supportive energy.”

Federer is also expected to wear the logo again at the upcoming Australian Open.

Fans were over the moon after Federer’s announcement, with his Twitter video racking up thousands of comments, likes and retweets.

Federer takes swipe at Nike after leaving

Federer took a swipe at Nike last year as he opened up about his decision to switch sponsors.

In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily, Federer said he wasn’t a fan of Nike’s increasingly colourful designs, saying some of them looked “like a truck drove over it”.

“To be quite honest, I just feel like we have some awful tennis-looking outfits sometimes,” he said.

“They’ve just gone too far in the wrong direction. They want to make it look too much like a modern tennis shirt that is completely wrong, in terms of designs.

“Like a truck drove over it - or they’re just going to come up with funky graphics, which I think in a sport of tennis, that has such a rich history…you know, the tennis polo is very iconic.

“I feel like if we work on that, to redesign that, which looks nice and crisp and new and fresh, that’s really important to me.

Roger Federer, pictured here wearing a sweater with his logo at Wimbledon in 2008.
Roger Federer wears a sweater with his logo at Wimbledon in 2008. (Photo by ben radford/Corbis via Getty Images)

“I’ve really just tried to elevate the style, the level of that in tennis and hope that resonates also with the new generation coming through.

“I really hope to go to do press conferences like this now. Because I don’t have to wear tracksuits anymore. I don’t have to wear all these things.

“It’s nice to finally look good sometimes, you know?”

Federer will make his long-awaited return to tennis when the Australian Open gets underway, either in January or February.

The 20-time grand slam champ says he is practising pain-free after undergoing two knee surgeries this year and says he expects to return to the circuit at Melbourne Park.

The 39-year-old Swiss reached the Australian Open semi-finals at the start of the year, but missed the rest of the season after undergoing a second arthroscopic procedure on his right knee.

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