Tennis legend Roger Federer is melting netizens’ hearts for keeping a “pinky promise” he made to a young fan five years ago.
In 2017, longtime fan Izyan Ahmad was able to ask a question to the 20-time Grand Slam winner during a press conference at the U.S. Open.
After Federer answered with a “Yes,” the boy asked, “Is that a promise?” To this, the tennis star replied: “Pinky promise.”
Ahmad, who is now 11 years old, is in the top 10 of the U.S. rankings for both singles and doubles in the boys’ 12 and Under category.
Earlier this month, a video of Ahmad meeting Federer again went viral. The boy was flown to Zurich back in June under the pretense of training.
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At the club where the supposed training was to take place, he is approached by an employee requesting a selfie for his boss.
Soon after, a woman arrives wearing a T-shirt with Ahmad’s face on it. As the selfies are being taken, a group of children starts chanting his name.
Still shocked by the star treatment, Ahmad is then brought to the clay court for the main surprise: “All the young people watching you playing finally against a worthy opponent. Here is your surprise.”
Federer appears and asks the boy if he is ready to play a quick match.
During the game, Federer can be heard complimenting the way Ahmad plays between volleys.
The video ends with the tennis legend and the young athlete dining on some pasta after the well-fought match.
Italian food company Barilla, which organized the event, uploaded the video to its YouTube channel on Aug. 8, where it has since racked up over 5.3 million views.
Featured Image via Barilla
