'I feel like I've been on a farewell circuit since Roland Garros 2009' - Roger Federer
It has been a busy few days for Roger Federer as the 20-time Grand Slam champion has just launched his own line of sneakers called 'The Roger' in partnership with Swiss shoe giant 'On'.
Roger Federer, who is recovering from back to back arthroscopic surgeries on his right knee, had announced last month that he would be sitting out the rest of the 2020 season. The news of a second surgery had caused many of his fans to worry, and once again prompted questions regarding his retirement.
Roger Federer has now revealed that he has been thinking about retirement for a while, even if just at the back of his mind. Speaking on a podcast with Business of Fashion to promote his limited edition sneakers by On, Federer expressed his thoughts about the future and how he deals with the mental side of the fast-approaching end of his career.
For Roger Federer the farewell bells had begun ringing right when he lifted the elusive French Open trophy after defeating Robin Soderling in the final, thereby completing his Career Slam. Aged just 28 then, Federer had thought that was it, and that maybe it was time to hang up his racket.
Before long Federer found himself in an epic Wimbledon final against Andy Roddick where he won 5–7, 7–6(8–6), 7–6(7–5), 3–6, 16–14. That gave another sense of completeness to the Swiss, especially as it also coincided with the birth of his twin daughters.
"I already feel like I've been on that farewell circuit since I won Roland Garros in 2009," Federer said. "Then I won Wimbledon in an epic final against Roddick and my daughters were just born. I thought, it's over, after this summer, I quit. But then I I realized that I was only 28 years old and that I still had a lot to do."
More than a decade has passed since that that win. And Roger Federer, who is now a month shy of turning 39, is still very much there, a prominent member of the Big 3. His love for tennis has not faded one bit despite the injuries and the fatigue - which has come as a surprise to him as much as it has to the fans.
"I still enjoyed playing tennis but the truth is that if at that time (when he was 28) they had told me that at 38 or 39 I would still continue playing tennis, that in 2016 they would have operated on my knee and that in 2019 two more on the other knee, I would have answered: 'Are you crazy?' ", Roger Federer said.
Roger Federer wouldn't have retired even if he had won the Wimbledon 2019 final
The question of when Roger Federer will retire has come up very often lately, and even more so after the news of his knee problems emerged. However, Federer confirmed that his rehabilitation is going well and that if everything goes fine, he will make a comeback in 2021.
"I am working on my rehabilitation and my goal is to be able to be 100% by December or January, so that I can compete the entire season in 2021," Roger Federer stated.
Many had suggested retirement after he won the 2017 Australian Open final against Rafael Nadal, as he had nothing left to prove at that point. But the idea of bringing his career to a close with a glorious final doesn't appeal much to the Swiss.
"I do not believe in dream finals because it is very easy to be wrong. If I had wanted such an ending, I would have retired after beating Nadal in five sets in Australia in 2017, just as if I had defeated Djokovic last year at Wimbledon, I would not have retired either," Federer candidly expressed.
Roger Federer plans to keep playing as long as his health permits
With age slowly creeping up, Roger Federer himself knows that he doesn't have much time left on the clock. But the Swiss Maestro, who has enjoyed a mostly injury-free career spanning over 23 years, keeps looking ahead with positive thoughts.
The idea of retirement does pop into his head every now and then, but when he sees how everything else in his life is sorted, he decides to keep chugging along.
"The truth is that, as long as I don't have serious risks to my health, my four children and my wife continue to be happy and support me in the pursuit of this dream, if I manage to manage all of that and continue to compete against the best and fight for the great tournaments, honestly, I'll keep playing," Roger Federer said.
That has to be seen as great news by Roger Federer fans, who will now be hoping that the Swiss Maestro makes a spirited comeback in 2021.