Inside the unrelenting pressure cooker of international ATP tennis, every player has their own unique way of preparing for the fierce physical and mental intensity of each match.

Some gear up with a freezing cold shower, while others turn to music to help get them in the zone. Incredibly, Roger Federer – one of the world’s most celebrated players – says he revved up for his matches by, well, taking a nap.

It’s a habit that’s backed by science; experts say a 15-30 minute daytime snooze is a great way to re-energise the mind and body. Some athletes will nap to help them cope with gruelling schedules, high training loads, early starts and travel, but the benefits are accessible to all. Famous nappers throughout history include the likes of Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Leonardo da Vinci, Margaret Thatcher and Albert Einstein.

And with 20 Grand Slam wins under his belt, who could argue with the retired Swiss tennis player?

“I always liked to find a quiet place, just sit and focus, push away the distractions,” Roger says. “It’s not for everyone but it worked for me.”

An instrumental role

As a long-time partner of Mercedes-Benz and strong believer in the rejuvenating power of napping, Roger inspired and contributed to the new Mercedes-Benz Power Nap program – now available in select all-electric Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

It all began when Stuttgart-based composer, audio engineer, musicologist and researcher Professor Florian Kappler was preparing a relaxing in-car audio program for drivers known as ENERGIZING COMFORT.

The cabin’s ambient lighting is transformed into a soothing colour arrangement to help you drift off, as a starry night sky displays on the dashboard. Meanwhile, Air Balance technology ionises the air and cleanses it with a state-of-the-art filtering system equipped with a charcoal filter. It also carefully regulates the cabin temperature regardless of the exterior ambient conditions.

Once the automatically timed Power Nap reaches its conclusion, a wake-up phase is triggered. A gentle melody starts to play, and the driver’s seat returns to its original position, the massage function slowly restoring the body back to alertness.

Each of the features that induced slumber are then programmed to reset, realign and reanimate the driver in preparation for the next phase of the journey ahead.

Roger’s (neon) legacy

Roger’s contribution to this innovative new program is a continuation of his long-standing partnership with Mercedes-Benz and our shared legacy.

We first partnered with the world-famous athlete in 2008. Fourteen years later, on the occasion of his retirement from active sport in 2022, a neon-yellow Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE was auctioned off at RM Sotheby's in Munich as part of our joint Neon Legacy initiative.

The proceeds from the auction were used to finance the renovation and redesign of a public tennis court in Abbey Wood, London. Reopened by Roger in June 2023, the colourful tennis court served as a flagship project to promote public tennis and motivate the next generation of tennis players.

“It has always been my goal to give something back to the next generation of tennis players,” says Roger. “I am very grateful to be a partner with Mercedes-Benz and the Neon Legacy project which not only renovated this tennis facility, but transformed it into a bright and happy place for everyone to enjoy.”

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