"I know he played basketball a bit" – MJ cheered for Roger Federer during 2014 U.S. Open while admitting he knew nothing about the sport
Michael Jordan will always be a hoophead. Although already 62 and prefers to stay out of the spotlight these days, he has proven that he’s still very much in touch with the game with his appearances on NBC’s “MJ: Insights to Excellence.”
At the same time, MJ has also shown how willing he is to dip his massive fingers into other sports. While baseball and golf are two of his most well-known passions, Jordan actually attended the 2014 U.S. Open to cheer on fellow Nike athlete and one of tennis’ all-time greats, Roger Federer.
However, here’s the caveat of that entire experience: His Airness didn’t know a lick about tennis.
A legendary figure in tennis
As much as Jordan is considered the GOAT in basketball, Federer is held in the same regard in his discipline. The Swiss ace was the world’s top-ranked player for an astounding 310 weeks and won 103 singles titles on the ATP Tour, including 20 men’s singles majors. And while Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Jordan are credited for lifting the NBA’s profile to new heights in the 1980s and ’90s, Federer, along with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, did the same for tennis.
On that fateful August evening, Jordan finally got to see what all the buzz surrounding Federer was all about. Although he admitted to knowing next to nothing about tennis, he was nevertheless impressed by what he saw from the Swiss superstar.
“I know nothing about tennis,” Jordan said. “He’s a good athlete. I know he played basketball a bit.”
“I think he looks so smooth. I’ve seen a lot of tennis on TV, but you never really understand how smooth and how relaxed and how fundamentally sound that he can make this game look,” MJ commented about Roger after watching him win over Marinko Matosevic from the latter’s courtside box.
Collaborated on a tennis shoe
Jordan’s appearance at Federer’s match was a testament to the friendship between the two sporting titans, which began when they collaborated on the Nike Zoom Vapor 9 Tour AJ3, which the latter debuted in the 2014 U.S. Open.
After the game, Federer beamed with pride at having someone of Jordan’s stature in attendance.
“It’s just amazing having Michael here,” Federer relayed. “Growing up, he was my big sporting idol. … Having him here is unbelievably special, and the collaboration is unique, so I love it.”
With a predominantly white upper and decked in the unmistakable elephant print of the Air Jordan 3, the shoe pays homage to both Jordan and Federer’s legacies. Jordan, who’s keenly aware of how a shoe can impact an athlete’s performance, said he was proud of how the collaboration came out.
“I don’t want you to play in a shoe that doesn’t feel well,” Michael told Roger.
Basketball and tennis are two very different sports, but greatness knows no bounds, and to see two icons from different sports come together was truly inspiring. Federer and Jordan may have taken different paths on their way to achieving sporting glory, but one thing’s for sure: they shared the same drive and determination to be the best at what they do.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
