“During the 2017 US Open, seven-year-old … — affectionately known as ‘Zizou’ — experienced a moment he would never forget,” Gulf News wrote in 2026. “At a press conference, he was given the chance to ask his idol, Roger Federer, a question.” Federer “had just turned 36.”
“Can you please continue to play for eight, nine years so that I can play you when I go pro?” he asked, as Tennis.com quotes him. Then: “Is that a promise?” “Almost one. Pinky promise,” Federer answered, as Gulf News reports it; “‘Pinky promise,’ the smiling Swiss said,” in Tennis.com’s words. Years later Zizou explained where that follow-up came from: “After he said he’d think about playing longer, my mom, who was next to me, whispered, ‘Ask him if it’s a pinky promise.’ That’s the part that got clipped.”
“Five years later, in partnership [with] his sponsor Barilla and the Boomerang agency, Federer held up that agreement in a special way,” Tennis.com reported in August 2022. “In June, … was flown to Zurich for a training session, or so he thought.” “Escorted to the clay court lined with his supporters, it was time for the big reveal,” Tennis.com wrote, and Federer stepped out. “We made a promise, right?” Federer said. “We’re going to play. Are you ready?” “Trading forehands, serves and even tweeners with his hero, the budding talent was in his element,” Tennis.com wrote.
That September, it was over. Federer “lost alongside his longtime rival Rafael Nadal in Friday’s doubles match at the Laver Cup, the last match Federer will play before retirement,” CBS Sports reported on September 23, 2022. Global News: “In front of a 17,500 sell-out crowd at London’s O2 Arena.” And CBS Sports: “Roger Federer’s legendary tennis career is officially over.”
In March 2026, Gulf News wrote: “Now 15 years old … he is set to play in qualifying for the ATP Masters 1000 event.” The tournament, the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, announced on March 2 that “the 15-year-old” had taken a wild card into its qualifying draw. He lost. “Tirante wins. Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina defeats …,” Sky Sports’ scores read that day. But the boy from the pinky promise was playing the pros.
Fact check
The facts and where they come from
- He pinky promised a boy he’d keep playing, but five years later he retired. Tennis.com: “Can you please continue to play for eight, nine years so that I can play you when I go pro?” … “‘Pinky promise,’ the smiling Swiss said.” CBS Sports (September 23, 2022): he “lost alongside his longtime rival Rafael Nadal in Friday’s doubles match at the Laver Cup, the last match Federer will play before retirement.” 13
- His name is Roger Federer. CBS Sports: “The 20-time Grand Slam champion.” 3
- At a 2017 US Open press conference, Zizou, aged seven, asked him a question. Gulf News: “During the 2017 US Open, seven-year-old … — affectionately known as ‘Zizou’ — experienced a moment he would never forget”; “At a press conference, he was given the chance to ask his idol, Roger Federer, a question.” 2
- He asked if Federer would play eight or nine more years, so Zizou could face him as a pro. Tennis.com: “Can you please continue to play for eight, nine years so that I can play you when I go pro?” Gulf News: “Can you please continue to play for eight or nine more years so that I can play you when I turn pro?” 12
- “Is that a promise?” Zizou asked. Tennis.com and Gulf News: “Is that a promise?” 12
- Federer smiled: “Almost one. Pinky promise.” Gulf News: “‘Almost one. Pinky promise,’ the Swiss legend responded.” Tennis.com: “‘Pinky promise,’ the smiling Swiss said.” 21
- His mom had whispered that question beside him. Zizou, as Gulf News quotes him: “After he said he’d think about playing longer, my mom, who was next to me, whispered, ‘Ask him if it’s a pinky promise.’ That’s the part that got clipped.” 2
- Then in 2022, Federer’s sponsor flew Zizou to Zurich for what he thought was training. Tennis.com: “Five years later, in partnership [with] his sponsor Barilla and the Boomerang agency, Federer held up that agreement in a special way. In June, … was flown to Zurich for a training session, or so he thought.” 1
- On a clay court, his secret training partner stepped out. Tennis.com: “Escorted to the clay court lined with his supporters, it was time for the big reveal”; “When Federer stepped out.” 1
- “We made a promise, right?” Federer said. “We’re going to play.” Tennis.com: “Reminded Federer, ‘We made a promise, right? We’re going to play. Are you ready?’” 1
- They traded forehands, serves and even trick shots. Tennis.com: “Trading forehands, serves and even tweeners with his hero, the budding talent was in his element.” 1
- That September, Federer retired. CBS Sports (September 23, 2022): “Roger Federer’s legendary tennis career is officially over.” Global News: “In front of a 17,500 sell-out crowd at London’s O2 Arena.” 34
- And in 2026, Zizou, now 15, got a wild card into Indian Wells qualifying. Gulf News: “Now 15 years old … he is set to play in qualifying for the ATP Masters 1000 event.” The BNP Paribas Open, the Indian Wells tournament, in its March 2, 2026, announcement: “he has taken a wild card into this year’s qualifying draw”; “the 15-year-old” (its page isn’t linked here, because its web address carries his full name). 2
- He lost, but the boy from the pinky promise was playing the pros. Sky Sports scores (March 2, 2026): “Tirante wins. Thiago Agustin Tirante of Argentina defeats ….” 5
Sources
- Roger Federer fulfills “pinky promise” five years later by surprising young fan in Zurich (Baseline Staff, August 8, 2022) Tennis.com
- …who made a promise to Federer at 7, now ready for big stage (Jai Rai, March 2, 2026) Gulf News
- Roger Federer loses final match before retirement playing alongside Rafael Nadal in doubles at Laver Cup (September 23, 2022) CBS Sports
- Roger Federer loses final match before retirement in team-up with Rafael Nadal (September 24, 2022) Global News
- Tennis scores, March 2, 2026 Sky Sports
Notes
His age in 2017: a popular retelling says six; Gulf News and the tournament say seven, as the Short does.
The question: Tennis.com has “eight, nine years” and “when I go pro”; Gulf News has “eight or nine more years” and “when I turn pro.” The Short puts it in its own words. Federer’s first reply is printed differently by different outlets, so only “Almost one. Pinky promise.” is used.
The Zurich hit was an advert: Tennis.com says Federer kept the promise “in partnership [with] his sponsor Barilla and the Boomerang agency,” and the Short says “Federer’s sponsor flew Zizou to Zurich.” Who won their hit isn’t shown, so it isn’t claimed. Tennis.com’s “tweeners” are between-the-legs shots; the Short calls them trick shots.
Timing: the Zurich hit was in June 2022 (Tennis.com), and Federer’s last match was at the Laver Cup that September (CBS Sports), so the Short’s “five years later he retired” (2017 to 2022) and “That September” hold.
The 2026 match: Sky Sports’ scores show that he lost his qualifying match; the score isn’t given here. One automated live-ticker page says the opposite, but it contradicts Sky Sports’ result, so it isn’t used. A popular retelling says he “won a national tournament”; no source we read says so, so that isn’t used either.
Roger Federer is alive. Zizou was a child, seven in 2017 and 15 in 2026: he is named only by the nickname the outlets use, he is not shown, and no stand-in child is; nothing about his surname, family, school or where he lives is given beyond his own published account of how the pinky-promise question came about. Only Federer’s published words and the reporting of 2017 to 2026 are used; nothing about his life beyond this story is told. Two reports print his full name in their web addresses: Gulf News is linked by its short address, and the tournament’s own announcement isn’t linked.
Pictures: no free photo shows the 2017 press conference, the 2022 hit in Zurich or the 2026 match, and Zizou appears in no photo. Roger Federer is at the Mutua Madrid Open on May 4, 2015 (Tatiana); on the US Open practice day on August 26, 2018 (Carine06); at a press conference before the 2019 US Open on August 23, 2019, not the 2017 one (Beyond My Ken); serving at the Italian Open in Rome on May 11, 2016 (JC, CaliTennis.com); and, in Rotterdam on February 17, 2018, from behind with his arms raised after winning and walking out with his bag (two photos by rboed*, RB Photo). Arthur Ashe Stadium is seen with its roof closed during a US Open match on August 31, 2018 (Carine06, cropped); Zurich from the Limmat on May 16, 2017, not the 2022 visit (Schuetze75); the Laver Cup final ceremony at the O2 Arena in London on September 25, 2022, two days after Federer’s last match (Imladenov); and the Indian Wells Tennis Garden’s outer courts on March 11, 2013, and its roadside sign in June 2022, not the 2026 match (JC, CaliTennis.com; Coolcaesar). The other players, press, staff and spectators in these photos are not named.
Photo credits
The archive photos in this story
The photographs and illustrations in this story are in the public domain or shared under open licenses; each one is credited below with its license. Tap one to enlarge it, or follow the link to its Wikimedia Commons page for the full record. The narration, captions and graphics in the Short are our own; its music and sound effects are credited below.
Music and sound effects
Music: Schumann, Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 1 'Of Foreign Lands and Peoples (Musopen, public domain); Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition: IV. Bydlo (piano) (Musopen, public domain); Dvorak, Symphony No. 9 'From the New World': II. Largo (Musopen, public domain).
Sound effects: Freesound, CC0.
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