Eight-time champ Roger Federer returns to Wimbledon and backs himself on grass: ‘I’m pumped up’
The last time Wimbledon was held, in 2019, Federer was one point away from the championship. Now, weeks away from his 40th birthday, the tennis legend gives himself a chance to go deep in London at the 2021 edition.
Tennis
Roger Federer is not done yet.
But he didn’t plan it this way, either.
“The goal was not to play until 40,” Federer, the 20-time major winner and eight times a champion at Wimbledon, told reporters ahead of tennis’ return to the famous grass court event after the 2020 event was cancelled.
“I feel I still really love it, enjoy myself,” the Swiss star continued. “I will see about the results; if they're going to come back. This is why Wimbledon is clearly very important to me right now.”
It’s an event that has always been important to Federer, with his coming-of-age win over Pete Sampras at it in 2001 – in addition to his first major win, over Mark Philippoussis in 2003.
He turns 40 on 8 August 2020 – and is still unsure if he’ll compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics next month, though he’s hoping to.
“I would like to go to the Olympics,” Federer said when asked about his participation in Tokyo. “I would like to play as many tournaments as possible. But think we decided now let's just get through Wimbledon, sit down as a team, and then decide where we go from there.
“I wish I could tell you more,” he continued. “In previous years it was definitely easier. At the moment things are not as simple as in the past. With age you have to be more selective. You can't play it all.”
Federer and Murray - together again at SW19
Federer has seemingly played – and won – it all in his career, tied with Rafael Nadal at 20 Grand Slam singles titles (Novak Djokovic is one behind at 19), deemed by many as the ‘greatest of all time’ and winning an astounding 103 singles titles.
He has not, however, won Olympic gold in singles. He has done so in doubles, with Stan Wawrinka at Beijing 2008. Four years later, he finished runner-up to Andy Murray in the London 2012 final. He sat out Rio 2016 with a knee injury.
“We're going to reassess the situation after Wimbledon because it's going to have an impact on... obviously if I play really good here or really bad, I think it has an impact on how everything might look for in the summer.” - Roger Federer on Tokyo 2020
Federer was on the practice court in the lead-up to Wimbledon with Murray, the two-time and reigning Olympic singles champion who recently announced as part of Team GB for the coming Tokyo 2020 tennis event.
While Federer has dealt with knee surgeries and other lingering injuries in the past 18 months, Murray is again mounting a comeback, having undergone hip surgery in January 2019 and suffering from a myriad of physical challenges since.
It’s his first Wimbledon in singles since 2017, when he was defending champion.
“We were trying to think when the last time was when we shared a practice court together,” Federer said, the two guessing it was either 2005 or 2006.
“I thought he looked good,” Federer said of Murray. “To be honest, you can see how comfortable he is on the grass. ... But I hope he can go deep here, have a nice run. Same for me.
"I think we always back our chances on this surface. But it was great spending time on the court again with Andy. It's nice to see him out there.”
Federer on Wimbledon: 'I have a chance'
After an encouraging three wins on clay at the French Open earlier this month, Federer appeared frustrated with himself at a Wimbledon warm-up event in Halle, Germany, where he lost to up-and-coming Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.
“The good thing now looking back is I know it will not happen here because I'm ready, I'm excited, I'm pumped up. I know I can do so much better,” Federer said of that loss – and his Wimbledon chances.
“I'm actually here at Wimbledon right now and I have a chance. I know if I get rolling, I get into the second week, which is the goal here right now, that I get stronger and stronger as every match goes by, I believe it's very much possible.” - Roger Federer
"I'm pumped up."
The questions about retirement and his legacy have lingered for a better part of a decade, but Federer continues to be a force at the top of the game.
“I remember a conversation with [Pete Sampras] 10 years ago,” he recalled. “He was wondering how much longer I had in the tank. This was when I was just hitting 30. He was thinking I was coming towards the end or something just because it was for him normal that at 31, 33, with the career that we've had, with all the sacrifice in a way you have to go through, that it's hard to keep on pushing for more years on tour.”
Federer says having his family be able to travel with him has prolonged his career. How much longer that might be for? Perhaps maybe he doesn’t even know.
“I think I made the most of it on the tour,” he said, reflecting. “I enjoyed my travels, made it fun with [wife] Mirka and the family and the team. Persevered somehow.”
“This all mainly came the last years. I never thought also with the last surgeries I've had I would still be going.”