At age 38, Roger Federer has already recorded one of the most impressive careers in tennis history. Not only does he have 20 Grand Slam titles, but he has also been credited for reviving mainstream interest in the sport. But since he has not won a Grand Slam since January 2018, people are asking when the Swiss tennis icon plans to hang his racket permanently.
Roger Federer might still be active in next two years
Not surprisingly, Federer has expressed that he is open to playing beyond 2020. In a press conference in Manhattan, the current world no. 3 admitted that playing professionally in 2021 is a huge possibility.
With the Swiss planning to extend his professional career, he could have as much as eight chances to add more Grand Slam wins to his current tally. The tennis player ended the 2019 season at no. 3 in the world rankings so he still has a big chance to win more trophies for himself.
It can be recalled that his main rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic both inched closer to his current male Grand Slam record in 2019. Nadal’s win in the French Open and U.S. Open gave him his 18th and 19th title. Djokovic, meanwhile, now has 16 Grand Slam championships.
Federer’s retirement
The world No.3 has been carefully treading the conversations regarding his retirement. He insists that his retirement will depend on his family – including wife Mirka and two sets of twins. He also points to his health as one of his main considerations.
In an interview on the “TODAY Show” in New York, Federer also jokingly stated that he has no plans of retiring. This led to the audience and host Savannah Guthrie to squeal in delight.
On the other hand, former world no. 1 Swedish player Mats Wilander has predicted that Federer will announce his retirement either in 2021 or 2022. That said, he also acknowledged that the Swiss tennis icon has defied a lot of conventions in the world of tennis so there is a possibility that he could extend beyond that. But for him, Federer playing for five more years might be a daydream.
Federer maps out his 2020 plans
The Swiss Maestro already has his 2020 plans set, with him participating in all of the Grand Slams. He also has his eyes set on finally winning an Olympic gold medal in the singles category in Tokyo.
The top player said that he was still proud of his performance in 2019 despite failing to win the Grand Slams. He came closest in Wimbledon but he had to bow down to Djokovic in the final. That said, he got four titles this year – Miami, Dubai, Basel and Halle.
Roger Federer’s ranking and performance in 2019
Ranked no.3, Roger played his last match on the 16th of November when he was overcome by Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 6-4 in the semifinal in London.
This year Federer has a 51-10 win-loss record. Federer clinched 4 titles in 2019 in Dubai, in Miami, in Halle and in Basel. Roger was the finalist in Indian Wells and in Wimbledon.
Roger Federer |
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