Roger Federer of Switzerland returns to Alejandro Falla of Colombia in a first round match at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012.
Roger Federer of Switzerland returns to Alejandro Falla of Colombia in a first round match at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012. Elise Amendola, Associated Press
By Associated Press

Roger Federer has often talked about his admiration for Rod Laver, Pete Sampras and other tennis greats. At the Olympics, Marc Rosset is on his mind.

A fellow Swiss, Rosset won the gold medal in singles at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

"That was huge news in Switzerland," Federer, 30, said Monday at Wimbledon after defeating Julien Benneteau of France in the second round. "I definitely felt like I was inspired by that on an Olympic level."

Federer won gold in doubles with partner Stanislas Wawrinka at the 2008 games in Beijing, and he is aiming for gold in singles weeks after winning the Wimbledon title for a record-tying seventh time.

— Christopher Torchia

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