"I'm ready to give it my all again, I feel like a racehorse scratching its stall and wanting to race" - Roger Federer gearing up for return
Roger Federer has revealed that he is eager to return to the sport and compete at a high level once again.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion has been out of action since July last year after undergoing a third surgery on his right knee. He was last seen in action at Wimbledon, where he was beaten by Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets in the quarterfinals.
Even though the Swiss will turn 41 this August, he has been quite insistent on making a return to competitive tennis. During a recent interview with Camina da Magazin, Federer said he was ready to "give my all again."
"I can't even think that far," Federer said. "I'm waiting for the doctors' okay. I'm ready to give it my all again. I feel like a racehorse scratching its stall and wanting to race. In the summer I hope to be able to hit the ground running. I'm looking forward to coming home in the evening after the tough day of training and being completely exhausted."
When asked to elaborate on his daily routine, Roger Federer revealed that he undergoes a lot of non-racket training.
"As with a car, you have to turn a thousand screws until the engine runs smoothly," said the Swiss. "Today, mobilization, stretching, and a warm-up in the morning take about 45 minutes. Then we drive. There follows a warm-up on the pitch, half an hour. After that I eat, stretch, strengthen my ankles with tapes, then warm up again, do gymnastics and explosive speed exercises. Before I finally play, I took care of my body for two and a half hours."
"Being a good father is the challenge of my life" - Roger Federer
During the interview, Federer was asked to name his "biggest challenge", given he balances roles such as being a world-class tennis player, a brand ambassador for numerous top labels, his foundation and family life among others.
The father-of-four revealed that his biggest challenge is being a good parent to his children.
"Being a good father is the challenge of my life," the Swiss said. "Teenagers have so many things on their minds. It becomes more complicated, more emotional, more profound. I think that's nice, but it takes me away more. As parents, we now have to make a greater effort to solve problems."
Highlighting how his children are entering crucial years in their development, the 20-time Major champion explained that being a parent is much harder than it looks.
"It's also the first time that I'm the father of soon-to-be thirteen-year-old girls and eight-year-old boys. All new territory for me," he added. "Parents are expected to be perfect educators - impossible! We try to do our best every day. But to be honest: Sometimes being a parent is really exhausting. You always think other families have it easy, then you talk to friends and see: everyone has the same problems."