Watch: Roger Federer, Trevor Noah come together for Swiss tourism commercial

In a new promotional film for Switzerland Tourism, legendary former tennis player Roger Federer joined hands with South African comedian Trevor Noah. The duo is filmed in a ‘comedy-of-errors’ situation as they attempt a train ride across the country, but makenly board one headed in the wrong direction, to the picturesque town of Interlaken.
The short film is titled ‘You’re Never on the Wrong Train in Switzerland’ and is directed Britain’s Tom Hooper, best known for winning an Academy Award in 2011 for directing ‘The King’s Speech’.
The commercial is Federer’s latest attempt to bolster tourism in his home country after signing a deal with Switzerland Tourism in 2021. He has starred, previously, with Hollywood actors Robert de Niro and Anne Hathaway in advertisements for the same. “It’s been great fun doing these shoots, first with Robert and Anne, and now with Trevor,” he told the Financial Times. “It’s taking me back to my childhood.”

Trains, Federer says, have always been a huge aspect of his upbringing in Switzerland, and his preferred mode of transportation to get across the country and into the countryside.
“I was always on trains. I remember leaving home, looking out of the window, seeing the trees and the fields go and thinking: ‘will I be a good tennis player?’” he said. “When I was younger, I was always either on the train, the tram, or the bus. I think (trains) are a great way to discover a new city and a new country because you have to think about where you are going and plan, whereas if you get in a car, you put on the navigation system and don’t pay attention.”
His official role with Switzerland is the latest in the many diverse business interests he has formulated since the latter years of his playing career that ended in October last year, including becoming the part-owner of Swiss sportswear brand ‘On’ that has recently signed the World No. 1 women’s player Iga Swiatek, and up-and-coming American player Ben Shelton.
“Naturally I have always represented Switzerland, and that flag has always been next to my name. I just felt like with age, and at the right time, with the pandemic, it was the right time to jump into more of an official role,” Federer said.