Roger Federer focused on clay court return not retirement
The 20-time grand slam champion is set to play his first French Open since 2015
Roger Federer has quashed the rumours that the reason he is returning to play on clay in 2019 is because this season could be his last in professional tennis.
Having not played on clay since 2016, the Swiss world No.7 confirmed last month that he is preparing to appear at the French Open tennis grand slam for the first time since 2015.
Federer’s surprise decision “took the tennis world off guard”, News.com.au reports, and in turn sparked a conspiracy theory that the 20-time grand slam champion wants a “last crack” at winning Roland-Garros before retiring. His single French Open title came in 2009.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
When asked about the theory that retirement plans could be behind his return to clay the 37-year-old said: “No, it’s not. I thought of it, in isolation, do I want to play the clay or not? The answer was yes.
“This doesn’t mean this is my last clay-court season, whatever, or I had to play one more time before I retired. That was not the thinking.”
In recent seasons Federer has decided against playing on clay because of injuries and scheduling, but he says the timing feels right to hit the red dirt again.
“All I knew is after missing it for two to three years basically, my body was ready, I was ready, my schedule with the family, my schedule with the team was ready to do it again,” he said. “This is when I opted to say, ‘it will be nice’.
“That’s not the reason why I’m putting the clay back on. It was purely based on I would just like to play. We can always read just the schedule accordingly depending how I play the clay. The calendar is always flexible.
“Instead of taking a big chunk off, I’d rather stay in the rhythm and actually enjoy myself on the clay.”
He added: “It’s going to be challenging, no doubt about it. I have to take baby steps in the beginning to some extent, but that’s okay.
“I think after not playing for two years, also missing the French [Open] three years ago because of injury, I think the team understood that I was in the mood to do it again.
“I did grow up on clay, after all. I felt like my body is strong enough now again to do the surface changes from hard to clay to grass to hard again. In the past I felt different. I felt like it would be nice to go from hard to grass to hard, stay on faster surfaces.”
The ATP clay court events start in April and the 2019 French Open grand slam takes place at Roland-Garros from 26 May to 9 June.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The Onion is having a very ironic laugh with Infowars
The Explainer The satirical newspaper is purchasing the controversial website out of bankruptcy
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Rahmbo, back from Japan, will be looking for a job? Really?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What's next for electric vehicles under Trump?
Today's Big Question And what does that mean for Tesla's Elon Musk?
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Roger Federer’s retirement: an end to a ‘magical era’
Talking Point The Laver Cup will be the Swiss national’s final competitive appearance
By The Week Staff Published
-
Roger Federer and the ‘GOAT’ debate
Talking Point Tennis luminaries line up to declare the Swiss the greatest of all time
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
Iga Swiatek: the unstoppable superstar of women’s tennis
Why Everyone’s Talking About Polish world No.1 is now on a 35-game winning streak after her French Open triumph
By Mike Starling Published
-
Mason Greenwood: footballer arrested on suspicion of rape and assault
Speed Read Man Utd confirm the striker will not train or play until further notice
By The Week Staff Published
-
Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal: grand slam wins, big titles and career records
Why Everyone’s Talking About Djokovic scooped his first Olympic gold in Paris this summer to match Rafael Nadal's win at Beijing 2008
By Mike Starling, The Week UK Last updated
-
Handball: swapping bikini bottoms for tight pants
Speed Read Women competitors will be required to ‘wear short tight pants with a close fit’
By The Week Staff Published
-
Cristiano Ronaldo’s second coming
Speed Read Last week, Manchester United re-signed the forward on a two-year deal thought to be worth more than £400,000 a week
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
‘Sad day for tennis’: is this the end of Roger Federer’s glittering career?
Today's Big Question 40-year-old Swiss maestro will have a third operation on his right knee
By Mike Starling Published