Roger Federer is set to make his return to tennis at the Australian Open and the Swiss ace openly admitted he has a hard time quitting tennis.
Tennis has been an essential part of Roger Federer's life for as long as he can remember so it's only natural the Swiss ace has trouble leaving the game. In a recent interview he did with Ringier Magazine in Switzerland, Federer tackled many subjects including tennis and his eventual retirement. Asked about when is the perfect moment to do so he said:
“There is no perfect moment for retirement. I wish I could choose by
myself. I am sure I will know when the moment has come. It will be a
smooth transition. I am not afraid of the time after my professional career. It will be
a smooth transition. Mirka (his wife, Miroslava) and I managed the life
balance between tennis, family, and friends incredibly well. That is
what almost makes me most proud. Because what is ultimately really
important in life?”
His wife Mirka also used to play tennis and she has been retired since 2002. A persistent foot injury forced her into early retirement and on that Federer said:
“She had this injury on her foot. At that time I said to her: ‘just
stop! Why the stress?’ Really cool. As if it were the easiest decision
in the world. Today I think: Am I crazy? I still play tournaments myself at 40 and find it difficult to quit!”
Federer also credit his upbringing in Switzerland for the way he is and speaking on how he would like to remembered he said:
“I am very lucky that I grew up in Switzerland and that I can still
live this normality here today. That made me who I am today. I hope I will be remembered as a casual, cool, good tennis player.
And as a person, I hope that I was able to set an example that, even if
you are successful, you can treat people with decency, attitude and
fairness.”