Roger Federer joined Princess of Wales Kate Middleton at Wimbledon for a fun hit and a meeting with the tournament’s ballkids.

Federer has long had a soft spot for ballkids around the world, having served as one himself when he was a junior in Basel. The Swiss legend, who retired at last year’s Laver Cup, enjoyed returning to his childhood role in a video on Wimbledon’s YouTube channel.

“This is proper practice, I’m really impressed,” Federer said.

Photo: Handout/Thomas Lovelock – AELTC via Getty Images
The 41-year-old returned to the All England Club, where he lifted the trophy eight times. Federer earned a 105-14 record at the grass-court major during his career. 

Although he will not be competing on the hallowed lawns this year, Federer was happy to give back and spend time with the ballkids alongside Middleton, who was also impressed by the kids’ efforts.

“To see the training and the dedication and the amount of time that is put into training and making sure that this goes well on the day for the champions who are playing at Wimbledon, it’s incredible to see it behind the scenes,” Middleton said.