Roger Federer (Photo : Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports/ REUTERS)
Roger Federer, who is currently competing in his 62nd career Grand Slam tournament, confessed that he had thought about retiring after winning his first Davis Cup title with team Switzerland last year.
At the age of 33, Federer remains one of the best players in the ATP circuit, still winning tournaments and beating younger rivals. In this year's French Open, the Swiss Master just became the first 33-year old player since Andre Agassi to be seeded no.2, and yet the hunger for more glory on the tennis court persists.
However, Federer admits that he's becoming closer to heed the call of father time. In fact, after finally bagging that elusive Davis Cup title last November, the idea of leaving the sport he dominated for first decade of the new millennium crossed his mind.
"For a moment I thought about it, but then I said 'I'm not ready to do it'. I don't want to retire and then maybe come back again. I have to play a match in Davis Cup before the Olympic Games in Rio, although I think that the rule is ridiculous. It would have been nice to retire after the Davis Cup, but I have not made that decision," Federer told reporters via Tennis World USA.
Although he lessened his training hours on clay this season, Federer stressed that winning remains his main priority at Roland Garros. Leading up to the clay-court Grand Slam, the Swiss bagged a title at the inaugural Istanbul Open and runner-up finish to a red-hot Novak Djokovic in Rome.
"On clay, I spend less time than in previous years, but the goal is still to win. You always have goals, and you don't forget defeats like the one against Seppi in Australia. In 2008, Rafa beat me sharply, but then the next year I came back and won. I am proud of this," Federer said.
On Sunday, Federer made it to the second round after systematically beating veteran campaigner Alejandro Falla 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.
