Roger Federer could end up announcing his retirement at the Swiss Indoors later this year, reckons tennis writer and Federer biographer Simon Graf. Federer turns 40 in August this year and has struggled with injury problems in the last 12 months. The 20-times Grand Slam men’s singles champion underwent two separate knee surgeries in 2020 which ruled him out for the majority of the season.
Federer will miss the Australian Open next month as he continues his rehabilitation.
Graf says perhaps Federer does not even know himself when he plans to hang up the racket.
But Graf reckons the Swiss Indoors could be the time where the inevitable happens.
The tournament takes place in Federer’s birthplace of Basel between October 23 and October 31 this year.
“I mean, we don’t know. I don’t think Roger Federer knows himself,” Graf said.
“I mean, I know he’s far from where he would love to be right now.
“In terms of form, tennis-wise, he alone (knows), the grip, go-back, get-back to the court, when he really feels he can play at a certain level.
“I don’t think it’s important where (at which event) he steps away from the game. I did an interview with him after he won the Australian Open (in) 2017.
“I met him up in the mountains in Lenzerheide, where he has his second home.
“And he said, ‘my career has been so corny, like, everything has been so amazing. I don’t need a corny finish or like, it doesn’t matter how it will happen’.
“It will happen sometime… Maybe he will announce (that) he will step away from the game in Basel, maybe. I don’t think it’s important for him where he steps away.”
Meanwhile, renowned tennis coach Mats Merkel believes Federer’s rivals Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will continue to dominate the men’s game this year, with 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem also succeeding.
“It will be a very interesting year,” Merkel told Tennis Net.
“If all four Grand Slams can be played regularly, I lean out the window and say that three of the four will not be won by Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal.
“Dominic is the absolute showpiece model because it is constantly developing. I am impressed by how he got out of the Corona era and won the US Open.
“It’s a shame that he didn’t crown the year with a victory at the ATP Finals. I would have totally indulged him.”
