Roger Federer Announces Next Week in London will be his Final Competitive Matches

[jimlosaltos]

Fed might not play LC per Swiss Blick https://www.blick.ch/sport/tennis/fe...d17888675.html

""He will probably decide that at the last moment," Pierre Paganini, Federer's trainer, told the Swiss newspaper Blick. "He is trained to have as much information as possible about whether it's a good idea or not."

Paganini also explained how Federer had first contemplated retiring in July, when it became clear he was making "greater efforts for relatively low intensity."

[jimlosaltos]

Swiss Press: Fed aiming to playing doubles, then withdraw putting (I'm guessing Berretini, into singles)

Per Simon Haring of aargauerzeitung

Roger Federer told the Swiss Press, that his goal is to play Doubles on Friday on an ?acceptable level?. He won't play Singles. Friday will be his final match as a professional

Roger Federer bricht sein Schweigen. Wie er die Wochen vor dem R?cktritt erlebt hat, wie seine Frau Mirka mit ihm mitgelitten hat und wehslab bei seinen Kindern nicht nur Tr?nen geflossen sind (Abo+)

https://www.bzbasel.ch/sport/intervi...0?reduced=true

[jimlosaltos]

Separately, sort of an informal translation of a pay-walled article by Rene Stauffer a Swiss journalist: Swiss Tennis writer. Author of Federer-Books: ?Quest for Perfection? and ?Roger Federer, die Biografie? (German, 2019, English 2021). Works for Swiss Tamedi

Update: Found the original, in German

https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/es-war-total-emotional-als-ich-den-knopf-gedrueckt-habe-722010348296

Thread

By Doris LaRubia
Roger made the decision about retiring a few days after Wimbledon. There was no progress with the knee. He hesitated to go to Wimbledon for the jubilee but he had that Sunday off. He was relieved that he went there and that there was no close filming of him. He was very emotional just like other players.

Roger said that he was physically fit in the beginning of summer, could even do high jumps. After he made the decision about retiring Roger went on vacation and talked with Mirka about it afterwards. He was extremely tired during vacation after the hard practice.

He slowed down his practice in July but tried to stay fit. In normal life knee is ok for him. He hopes to be able to play football again and to do skiing. Biking and swimming is no problem for him. The comeback last year was very difficult for him, far away from being at 100 %.

To reach the QF in Wimbledon was incredible. The last set vs Hurkasz was one of the worst hours in his career. Roger said the exact kind of injury would be private and that he sometimes didn't want to know everything himself, only what was important for his reha.

Laver Cup would be ideal for his farewell, it wouldn't have been possible at the USOpen. It would be nice to have Bjorn sitting on the bench and to be surrounded by other players. It would make it easier to play the last match in a team. He could see the fans one more time and
thank them.

He didn't just wanted to disappear. He mentioned that he wanted to play again, even if it's been small tournaments with few points. He would have noticed that he most likely would have never been able to play Majors again.

Roger said he would like to play exhos and that he would still have the chance to fill stadions. It doesn't always have to be 52 000 like in Cape Town. His big wish is to play an exho in the next 6-9 months and to invite all his coaches to say Thank you to everyone.

One could organize this now that his retirement is official. Roger mentioned that he wants to keep practicing and to stay fit.
Regarding his future plans he said that there is the foundation, ON and his sponsors. He could even imagine commentating tennis matches even though he always said he would never do this.

But to comment a few matches in Wimbledon... To be present on the tour from time to time would allow him to keep the contact with the tour, the players and the new generation. And it would give him a reason to watch tennis, something which he likes to do.

Roger revealed that the last years would have been tough for him, but even more so for Mirka, who wouldn't really have enjoyed it anymore to see him play with all the injuries. He felt sorry for her. She would be relieved that it is over now.

Roger told the kids one day before the public announcement. They were emotional and asked whether they would never go to Halle, Wimbledon or Indian Wells anymore. He answered that they could go when they want to. Somehow they would be sad, on the other hand they used to say: Quit playing tennis, then we can go skiing. 3 out of the 4 children cried after Roger told them about his decision.

Roger mentioned that he would have been sad in the beginning, then there would have been repression. Writing the letter would have been a process, it would tear you up a bit but it would have been extremely good for him. That's why he would be able to give interviews now.
3 or 4 weeks ago he wouldn't have imagined being able to get a microphone and to speak at Laver Cup. Today he would think that he can maybe do it. He told Tony though: In case you organize something at Laver Cup, then please something that I won't have to talk... But he would try


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[arturohernandez]

I saw some videos of him hitting and trying to move his feet. He looks a bit limited and his hair seemed grayer to me for some reason.

I just saw him in an interview so I guess it is an illusion.

[arturohernandez]

Yes that will always hurt. It was on his racket and he choked those match points. Novak was awesome thereafter...never looked back.

There is only one way to not choke against Novak. Federer needed to pull out his playbook from the French Open semifinal a few years earlier.

https://youtu.be/Yil9PpIr1DA?t=858