At 38 years of age, a lot of tennis fans are talking about Roger Federer’s potential retirement at least for the last 8 years. After all, other tennis greats retired at younger ages when compared to Federer. Pete Sampras no longer competed by age 32. Andre Agassi made his exit from the tennis courts when he was 36. Federer, for his part, seems to have already a semblance of a plan on what he will do when he hangs the tennis racket.
Federer not retiring YET
It is looking like there is little chance that Federer will retire anytime soon. During an interview before the 2019 U.S. Open, the Swiss tennis star admitted that there is a possibility that he will still be playing by the time he reaches 40 in two years. He thinks that he can still compete well in tournaments, especially on the heels of him reaching the Wimbledon finals in July.
Federer’s five-year drought for a Grand Slam between 2012 and 2017 led to people thinking that he may be retiring already. He surprised many in 2017 when he took home the championship titles for both the Australian Open and Wimbledon after coming back from injury.
Federer himself confessed that there was a time when the idea of competing in his late 30s seemed impossible. He credits the fact that he is still fit for the privilege of still playing in the Grand Slam tournaments. He also said that he is thankful that he has not experienced anything career-threatening yet.
What Federer thinks he will do when he is 70 years old
Meanwhile, Federer was recently asked about his plans when he reaches 70. He joked that he hopes to still be alive and healthy by that time so he can spend his days in Switzerland. He is particularly looking forward to being near the lake in the summertime and the mountains during the winter.
Federer has always been vocal about his love for his home country. He credits the structure that supports Switzerland’s national tennis federation for his current success. Before the 2019 U.S. Open, in fact, Federer and his entire family went for a caravanning holiday in the Swiss countryside.
Other post-retirement plans
Other than that, Federer’s plans when he retires is not set in stone. He wants to be flexible with the things that he will do because he wants his family to steer their lives. He is also thankful about the fact that his legacy as a tennis player will enable him to rope in sponsors to support his family and his foundation.
Federer has also not ruled out the possibility of playing some exhibition or charity matches. He will, however, keep it to a minimum.
