Roger Federer: “It was one of the worst hours of my career”

Roger Federer shocked the tennis world last Thursday with his resignation announcement. Since then, the 41-year-old has been silent – ​​until Tuesday in London. The Basel bidder sat with a selection of Swiss journalists and also spoke about how he experienced the time before the resignation announcement. Federer says he had “knots in his stomach”. “I pushed everything backwards. Tony (Godsick) almost went insane because I was taking so much time.” Since it was out, however, he has been doing better – but it still took a lot of energy to write the letter of resignation. “It was very moving, especially for my parents and Mirka.”

Roger Federer says the decision was made after Wimbledon in July. “The knee just stopped making progress. We came to a new fork in the road, and I asked myself: What’s the point of that?” the tennis star recalls. Because the 20-time Grand Slam winner stated that the last year was very tough. “I was so far away from 100 percent, I could no longer present myself normally. Reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon was incredible for me. The last set against Hurkacz (0: 6, ed.) was one of the worst hours of my career for me. »

Currently he does not feel his knee, Federer says, among other things Tamedia newspapers (payment barrier) price. “Also because I shut everything down.” Nevertheless, he will only compete in doubles in the Laver Cup, which starts on Friday, probably on Friday evening, as various media say. But that won’t be Federer’s last appearance.

“My big wish is to play an exhibition fight in the next six to nine months and to invite all former coaches to say thank you to everyone, the fans, etc.,” says the Basel bidder. Now that his resignation is certain, you can start organizing it. The 41-year-old also gives an insight into what could come after the career.

The thought came to him about six months ago. “Suddenly I thought commenting on tennis was something, who knows,” he says. So he would be forced to watch tennis and would keep in touch with the sport. But he doesn’t want to do too much. When he toyed with the idea, he thought: “Am I completely crazy now?” Other projects should also come after the career, but now his wife Mirka should be more in focus.

She will definitely be more in the spotlight, the last few years have been tough for her too. “She no longer enjoyed watching me,” Federer told the “Tages-Anzeiger”. Sometimes he even felt sorry for his wife. The four children together were sad about the resignation, they will also be in London at the weekend.