Wimbledon 2012: Roger Federer To Play In Wimbledon Men's Final For Eighth Time

Federer: King Of Centre Court?

He is one of the finest tennis players of all time, with a record of 16 grand slams, a legion of loyal fans, and his own RF embroidered clothing. As one of the sport's most decorated players, Roger Federer has become a household name.

He is the only man to reach the Wimbledon final eight times, and is looking to equal Pete Sampras's record of seven titles. Federer will be hoping to redress the balance at the top of the sport after a spell out of the limelight.

His defeat of defending Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-final brought him one step closer and the 30-year-old, who has not won a major since his 2010 Australian Open final victory over Andy Murray, is hoping to reclaim the number one spot in the world.

2012 marks Federer's eighth Wimbledon final

Born near Basel in Switzerland, Federer grew up in nearby Münchenstein, close to the French and German borders.

The 30-year-old, who started playing tennis aged eight, has credited his hand-eye co-ordination with the wide range of sports he played as a child, including badminton and basketball, as well as tennis.

"I was always very much more interested if a ball was involved," he said.

He is married to Women's Tennis Association player Mirka Vavrinec, whom he met they were competing for Switzerland in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

They married in Basel in April 2009 and have twin daughters, Myla Rose and Charlene Riva.

Federer, who lists his idols as Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg, says his hobbies are sports, friends, music, playing cards and - something in common with rival Murray - PlayStation.

Described by ball boys as a "real gentleman", Federer is also said to be generous with the millions he has earned in his tennis career.

Federer is described as a "real gentleman"

The Roger Federer Foundation works to provide opportunities and promote sport for underprivileged children in South Africa, and the star has contributed to relief efforts for major crises including the 2004 Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Ever the gent, Federer has praised his opponent Murray for how he has handled being Britain's big tennis hope.

"It reminds me a bit of Australia because you don't have the amount of players they have in France or America, so the focus is more on one player, maybe a couple," he said. "I think what is so particular about this country is that there's so much attention on that one player, which is Andy Murray. Let's be happy that he's such a great player that he lets that sort of hype last.

"He's only going to get better as time goes by. That's what he's been proving and I think he's handled it (the pressure) very well."

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