Melbourne, Australia , 30 December 2023 | Leigh Rogers

Roger Federer remains a firm favourite among Australian kids, despite retiring from the sport in 2022.

The six-time Australian Open champion’s ongoing popularity was evident in a recent Hot Shots Tennis competition conducted by Tennis Australia.

There were more than 10,000 entries into the competition, which required Aussie children to share who their favourite player was in 25 words or less.

Federer was the most popular answer, with 16 per cent of entrants naming the Swiss champion as their favourite player.

Tate Perks from Western Australia received the major prize of a money-can’t-buy experience at Australian Open 2024, thanks to AO Travel.

> READ: Perks “excited” to win trip to Australian Open 2024

Perks listed his favourite player as Ash Barty, who was the most named Australian athlete in the competition.

A total of 77 different professional players were chosen as favourites, including 25 Aussie athletes. Other entries listed their parents, siblings and coaches.

The competition celebrated the launch of the new-look Hot Shots Tennis program, which has undergone a major refresh to offer more flexibility and choice for participants. It also has a greater focus on engagement and fun for participants aged from three to 10+.

Alex de Minaur was named the second most popular Australian player and the fifth overall among entrants. The 24-year-old was announced as one of the Hot Shots Tennis program’s new ambassadors earlier this month.

“Learning to play tennis is not only about technique, but also about having fun on court, development and building the right values at all stages of the game,” De Minaur said.

“That’s why I love what the Hot Shots Tennis program is doing with its greater focus on engaging participants.”

> JOIN: The Hot Shots Crew this summer

Find your way to play: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun!