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Roger Federer's rise to Grand Slam king and global superstar status required a major leap of faith.

Federer reflects on a conversation that led to a life-changing journey.

More: Federer Triumphant In Paris Return

It's all part of a global ad campaign for Rimowa celebrating the luggage brand's 120th anniversary.

Shot in Lucerne, Switzerland, the video recalls on a conversation Federer had with his father, Robert Federer, a devoted club-level player and huge tennis fan himself.

At age 14, Federer spoke to his father about his decision to leave home and move to the Swiss National Tennis Centre to pursue his dream of playing pro tennis.

Recalling that life-changing move last month, Federer said initially it was one of the most lonely and painful periods of his youth, but ultimately helped instill the independence, resilience and self-belief that are empowering.

"I left home from my hometown in Basel, which is a Swiss-German city still today of course. I went to a French-speaking city called Lausanne," Federer said. "It was a two-hour train ride away. I don't want to say it felt like another country but I did not speak French at all at the time so I could have might as well moved to Japan.

"I did not know how to speak, communicate. I cried on a regular basis because I was homesick and I learned how to become strong, persevere, independent and all these things in a very short period of time. So for any young person is good to travel. 'It's a nice thing to travel, you learn so much."

Federer reflects on that transformative trip in the ad campaign.

"I have to go where the courts are," the young Federer says in what would become a mission statement for his career.

"Then don't come back too soon," Federer's father replies.

The ad ends with the tagline "no one builds a legacy by standing still."


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