Street with no name: Basel tells Federer he has to wait

Roger Federer is alive and well after retirement last month… … and that is exactly why he won’t be having a street named after him in his hometown of Basel anytime soon.

Discussions in city hall in recent weeks about honouring the native son with a lane or boulevard in his name have been knocked back due to a little-read regulation.

Local media reported that the Federer project is now off the table despite similar honours already bestowed in other areas – most notably in the ATP tournament German village of Halle whose Roger Federer Allee leads to the tennis stadium where he lifted 10 trophies.

“The policy in Basel is that only deceased individuals have a square or a street named after them,” Basel city surveyor Paul Haffner told Swiss TV.

There is, however’ a tram roaming the local rails named the Federer Express, with huge graphics of the 20-time Grand Slam champion in action on court.

Its route this week passes the St Jakobshalle during the current Swiss Indoors event.

Federer, who grew up just a few kilometres from the entertainment venue, won the home title 10 times.