Roger Federer speaks for the first time about his retirement as part of the Laver Cup. Is it goodbye to the dream double?
On Friday evening Roger Federer will present his class one last time in the bright spotlight in London, after which one of the greatest sports careers will end. As part of the Laver Cup, the Basel bidder is contesting his final game at the highest level. The knee, which has been operated on several times, does not allow a singles, so Federer will contest a doubles. Who should be his partner in the continental showdown? “Maybe I can play doubles with Rafa, that would be an absolute dream,” said Federer.
In the meantime, the 41-year-old has had the opportunity to come to terms with the idea that he will soon be retired. Even if he hasn’t gotten around to reading all the appreciations, he draws a positive conclusion: “It’s nice that the reporting was so positive, I didn’t know what to expect. So far the echo has been wonderful.” Now he is looking forward to the future, which he has not yet commented on.
The decision to resign had been made a long time ago. During the Wimbledon tournament, which he attended as a guest, he still believed in a return to Church Road. But a short time later, a scan of the bruised right knee made him think: “It can’t be that I’m trying to run after something that is hardly realistic anymore.”
The publication of his farewell message was “a good feeling”, Federer was “relieved and happy” at that moment. It was more difficult to let his friends know a short time beforehand: “I wanted to tell my closest circle shortly beforehand – so about 48 hours before the button was pressed. I wanted to keep this circle small so as not to burden my friends. You were always asked about me. And I didn’t want them to lie.”
Had I been a bit more professional when I was younger I might have won more but might have burned out sooner.
The approaching end of a success story is always the beginning of a review. What has Federer been particularly proud of in his dream career that has lasted almost a quarter of a century? “That I was allowed to play at such a level for so long and have so many fans. During Corona I saw what it was like to play in front of empty stands in Paris. Having the audience behind me in full stadiums will be missed.”
And where does Federer see the basis of his exceptional career? “You hope to be top one day and you do everything for it. You have to give a lot, give up a lot.” However, that definitely has its positive side: “I was able to travel around the world and meet interesting people and cultures.” Another pillar: self-criticism. “It was always important for me to be realistic. I said to myself: ‘I’m good, but I still have to improve. I’m the world number 1, but that doesn’t suit me.’” Respect for his staff was essential.
Is there also something that the «Maestro» regrets in the retrospective? “Not much,” emphasizes Federer. “Of course, there are also smaller things, but I can’t think of any examples. I see it as an absolute dream career, had a relaxed childhood.” This in turn leads him to a brief thought experiment: “If I had been a bit more professional when I was younger, I might have been more successful. But then I might have burned out earlier because it would have been too serious for me.” So fun is another important piece of the puzzle.
London, it’s a good place for Federer’s farewell. Here the record winner celebrated 2 of his 6 triumphs at the ATP Finals. “Down the road”, as he says, he celebrated 8 Wimbledon triumphs, this is where his career was really launched in 1998 with the junior title.
And at the All England Tennis Club, “King Roger” once met the person who left the deepest impression on him: Queen Elizabeth II. Federer was allowed to sit alongside the Queen when she ended her 30-year absence from Wimbledon , enjoy lunch. “When I saw her funeral, I thought again about how lucky I was to be able to experience that,” says the highest tennis nobility at the time.
After all these achievements – on and off the field – Federer should certainly be able to say a royal farewell on Friday.
