'Because of the looks': Roger Federer explains his logic behind choosing Wilson rackets

Roger Federer has opened up on his love for Wilson rackets, which he has been using since he was a child, going on to win 19 Grand Slams with them behind him. The Swiss revealed that he initially picked up the racket because of its looks and has persisted with the brand ever since.

The love affair took a new turn in 2006 when he signed a lifetime sponsorship deal with the giants, pledging to use them for the rest of his career. Once he has retired, he will act as an ambassador for the brand and help promote them to inspire future tennis greats.

The 36-year-old has seen a resurgence in the current year, dispelling doubts over his ability to challenge for top honours, and has gone on to enjoy what has been one of his most successful campaigns in a decade. Federer has won seven titles this season, which include two Grand Slams – the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and his next target is the ATP Finals in London.

However, one regret he might have is losing out on the number one ranking to Rafael Nadal, who confirmed his status as the best player till the end of 2017 following a four-set victory over Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas in the Round of 16 of the Paris Masters after which the Spaniard retired citing a knee injury.

On what prompted him to choose Wilson, Federer explained, as quoted by the Express, "I guess it was because of the looks. I think I liked the way it looked. Probably, I remember going to a sports store and saying 'I think this one looks nice' – and I would like to play with this one.

"And also my hero Stefan Edberg played [with] Wilson, so I think that helped me to take the decision for that brand and I never changed after that. So I stayed with Wilson forever, that was a lifetime deal, it's a dream come true so it's been a successful partnership. They've given me the racket that has won me everything, so I couldn't be more grateful."