Roger Federer Steals Spotlight as $1.7m Rolex Leaves Carlos Alcaraz in Awe
Roger Federer may have hung up his racquet, but the Swiss icon reminded the world why his presence still commands attention.
At last week’s Laver Cup in San Francisco, the 20-time Grand Slam champion turned heads with a dazzling Rolex worth a staggering $1.7 million, and rising star Carlos Alcaraz couldn’t help but laugh in amazement.
The light-hearted exchange unfolded courtside as Federer approached the 22-year-old Spaniard, casually displaying the rare Cosmograph Daytona Blue Sapphire.
With its 18-carat white- gold case and obsidian dial, the timer is one of the most coveted pieces in Rolex’s collection.
Federer even removed the watch to let Alcaraz take a closer look. Cameras caught the pair sharing a grin that said it all.
Roger Federer letting Carlos Alcaraz – a fellow Rolex ambassador – admire his $1,500,000 white-gold Daytona.
Iconic pic.twitter.com/m7ToVEnchf
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) September 21, 2025
Alcaraz, now world No. 1, has captured six Grand Slam titles, including this time’s French Open and US Open. Yet Federer’s royal style and enduring marketable leverage remain a standard many can match.
The Swiss great, who retired three years ago, has represented Rolex since 2001 and continues to command exclusive editions that outshine even the sport’s brightest new talents.
Despite Alcaraz’s recent swell, his Wimbledon crusade was halted by Jannik Sinner, denying him a third successive major.
Federer, ever linked with SW19 after eight Wimbledon triumphs, watched on as Team World beat Team Europe 15- 9 in the periodic event he co-founded.
While the pair shared laughs over luxury watches, Federer used his media appearances to address a more serious topic, the pace of modern tennis.
Speaking on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, he warned that slow court conditions give an edge to power players like Alcaraz and Sinner.
“I think that’s why we as tournament directors need to fix it,” Federer told Roddick. “We need to have not only fast courts, but what we want to see is [Carlos] Alcaraz or [Jannik] Sinner figure it out on lightning fast and then have the same match on super slow and see how that matches up.”
He added, “It’s because tournament directors have allowed it with the ball speed and court speed. Every week is basically the same. That’s why you can just go from winning the French Open and Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, just playing the same way.”
At just 22, Alcaraz won the French Open and U.S. Open titles this year, bringing his Grand Slam count to six. His run at Flushing Meadows even drew unexpected attention after a surprise visit to the US Open final by former U.S. president Donald Trump.
Federer balanced his critique with genuine admiration for the next wave. “I mean, I think we all knew that they were going to be good, that they were maybe going to be great, most likely,” he told Tennis Channel.
“But we didn’t expect, I think, this kind of dominance right out of the gates. It’s really impressive, I must admit. And it’s amazing for the game.”
As the Big Four era fades, Federer sees Alcaraz and Sinner as natural successors. “It’s going to be hard, and it’s going to take some time, and it’s also the question of how long they can keep doing this because it’s not easy.
I’ve been there; it’s hard, and they’re making it look very easy. So, really, really impressive.” Alcaraz, for his part, has never hidden his admiration for Federer’s artistry.
“Rafa is someone I’ve always watched. I admire him a lot. But Federer, the class he had, the way he got people to see tennis: That was beautiful,” he told Vogue in 2023.
“Watching Federer is like looking at a work of art. Its elegance, he did everything magnificently. I became enchanted by him.”
The Laver Cup may have ended with Team Europe falling short, but the weekend belonged to Federer’s enduring appeal.
From million- bone watches to pointed perceptivity on the future of the sport, the 44- time-old showed that indeed in withdrawal, he remains tennis kingliness, and a memorial that class, like a Rolex masterpiece, noway goes out of style.
