Looking For Something To Do On Wimbledon’s Day Of Rest?

There might not be play on the hallowed lawns of the All England Club on Sunday, but Roger Federer will still be in action, sort of. For fans in the United States, Federer will appear on the small screen Sunday night in a heart-racing episode of Running Wild With Bear Grylls on NBC. The eight-time Wimbledon champion journeyed into the Swiss Alps with the celebrity adventurer early in 2017, with the episode not being released until now. 

While tennis fans have seen Federer do incredible things on a tennis court with a racquet in hand, this is a truly must-watch experience. From discussing funny memories of raising two sets of twins and a special game of ping pong to repelling down a treacherous waterfall and sampling fish eyeballs, you’ll get to know the 98-time tour-level champion in a whole new way.

Setting the scene at the beginning of the show, Federer says, “I really hope that my tennis skills are actually going to help me a little bit, with balance maybe, making sure I get through the snow and ice here in the Swiss Alps. I’m just a very normal guy that likes to do normal things besides playing tennis. So I think that intrigues a lot of people, to see the other side of the person. I’m sure it’s going to be an epic experience.

“I believe it shows another side to the person people might know. With me, maybe they see this very focused, strong tennis player who never cracks under pressure and it’s all nonsense at the end of the day. We’re all the same,” Federer said. “We all have our fears and I’m very scared of many things, especially when it comes to doing adventurous stuff.”

Fans in the United States can tune in to the episode Sunday at 7pm ET/PT, 6pm Central Time on NBC.