Henry Bernet: "Comparisons with Federer motivate me a lot"

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 25 Jan 2025 | 08.55

Henry Bernet, who and how he plays. Photo: Getty Images

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If there is something exciting in life, it is how it surprises us day by day with unexpected gifts. All tennis fans must have been surprised to see the emergence of Henry Bernet, a young man who has just turned 18 and has been crowned champion of the 2025 Australian Open, inevitably bringing to mind a name: Roger Federer.

No, we do not want to do it, and it would be foolish of us to present the good Henry Bernet as the natural heir of Roger Federer, to talk about him possibly being destined for the same heights of success, and to generate extra pressure on a boy who, for the moment, deserves great recognition for what he has achieved in the 2025 Australian Open by becoming the junior champion. But we cannot ignore the parallels that seem to be designed by a Hollywood scriptwriter and wonder how this story will unfold.

Swiss-born in Basel, with a father named Robert, belonging to the legendary Old Boys club, coached by Severin Luthi, with an exquisite one-handed backhand and recently signed by the clothing brand On. Do you see it, right? We are not crazy. It is impossible for all of this not to evoke certain reminiscences of Roger Federer and for the exciting yet unlikely possibility of a new star emerging with more similarities than expected to one of the best in history.

- Bernet signed a five-year deal with the clothing brand On, co-founded by Federer

On the same day he turned 18, he was crowned the junior champion of the 2025 Australian Open, materializing a splendid week in the form of a title where he defeated the world number 1 in his category, Czech Kumstat, and only dropped one set along the way, against Serbian Milic, whom he had to fight fiercely against, even saving match points. He entered this event ranked 6th in the junior rankings and won the pre-Grand Slam tournament in Traralgon, demonstrating that he is in a sublime form and confidence.

"These have been three perfect weeks. I was finding my best level match by match, and I plan to combine the junior circuit with the professional one in the coming months," said a Bernet who is no stranger to the inevitable comparisons with Federer. "I am proud to have my name associated with his. I am trying to pave my own way, I know there will always be comparisons, and they are not a problem for me but a motivation. I would love to be able to chat with Roger soon," said the young man.

- Henry Bernet explains how he decided to play the one-handed backhand, his great hallmark

Asked how he developed that elegant one-handed backhand for which he is known, Henry Bernet explains it naturally. "I started playing with two hands, but I had many difficulties. One day, my coach jokingly said that if I didn't improve my backhand, I would have to try it with one hand. I immediately asked to try it, and from the first moment I felt very comfortable; playing the one-handed backhand was natural for me," says a young man passionate about skiing and who feels very comfortable on hard courts, although he also loves playing on grass.

He has tennis in his blood, coming from a family where this sport is pivotal. So much so that his aunt is the president of the club Old Boys TC Basel, to which he belongs, and he started playing tennis watching his older brother attempting, unsuccessfully, to turn professional. Ultimately, Henry Bernet wants to continue forging his path and proving that he is destined for great success in professional tennis. He needs time to mature, but the level of play shown in Australia has been more than promising.