Elmo Schools Federer in New On Commercial

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow  | Friday, February 7, 2025
Photo credit: On

Roger Federer has ruled the tennis world with grace and class.

When it comes to the alphabet alpha, it’s Elmo’s World and we’re all residents.

TN Q&A: Roger Federer Talks to Tennis Now on RF Collection and Best Match

Watch the Swiss Maestro go toe-to-toe with Sesame Street’s beloved monster in an adorable new ad for On set to air on Super Bowl Sunday.

Speaking in his trademark high falsetto voice, Elmo, a Fed fan who respectfully and repeatedly refers to the former No. 1 as “Mr. Roger Federer”, calls the 20-time Grand Slam champion out over the branding on his On shoes.

“Mr. Roger Federer, why does it say Q and C on your shoes?” Elmo asks. 

“That’s an O and N for On,” Federer replies.

However, that response does not satisfy Elmo, who seems a bit skeptical of the Swiss superstar’s reply, but offers loving resolution anyway.

“But you know, Elmo loves you Mr. Roger Federer, even if you don’t know your alphabet yet,” says Elmo, seated in a green umpire’s chair. 

Watch the entire exchange, and its impact on the five-time US Open champion in the video above.

Of course, Federer and Elmo share a mutual friend, musician Andrea Bocelli, who has moved both the sweet furry Monster and the Swiss Maestro with his powerful voice.

Federer, who visited Elmo’s hometown of New York City and was greeted with a rousing standing ovation from New York fans at the 2024 US Open, debuted the ad this morning on The Today Show.

Host Savannah Guthrie, one of the biggest Fed fans in the nation, once shared the story of her Fed-fandom.