Exhibition matches, commentating at Wimbledon… Federer reveals future plans

The 41-year-old Swiss legend will make his return for the first time since Wimbledon 2021 for one final doubles match on Friday

Roger Federer at the Match in Africa exhibition in January 2020 Image Credit: AI/ Reuters/ Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

September 21, 2022

While Roger Federer fans are still grieving about the retirement of their G.O.A.T., they would be delighted to learn that tennis will continue to play a big part of his future as well.

Speaking to the Swiss media in a roundtable at the Laver Cup in London, Federer gave an insight into some of his future plans after retiring. Federer will play his final match on Friday – a doubles match at the Laver Cup – and ruled out playing singles this weekend.

But the 41-year-old said he did want to play some exhibition matches in the future and also said he may be up for a commentating gig for Wimbledon.

"I won't be a ghost or a stranger"

Roger Federer speaks exclusively to #BBCBreakfast about hanging up his tennis racket and what the future holds ⬇️https://t.co/RZtcvJQZlR pic.twitter.com/gZPSWC7v7m
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) September 21, 2022

“I would like to keep doing exhibition matches and I know that I still have the chance to fill stadiums. It doesn’t always have to be 52,000 like in Cape Town,” he said. “I never thought I would say this. But six months ago, I suddenly thought: commentating on tennis someday, who knows? Although I always said I would never do that. But to commentate on some matches at Wimbledon would be great.”

Federer will be part of Team Europe’s G.O.A.T.-studded line up which will include Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, along with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Matteo Berrettini.

pic.twitter.com/V1KwP4eq0d
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 20, 2022

The Swiss didn’t exclude the idea of a farewell Tour on the main sites of tennis and the main venues of his career. “Obviously the Grand Slams would want to see me too to say goodbye”, Federer said on Wednesday in London. “Now I still have to decide where else I’m going to go. The Swiss Indoors said they would like to see me on Tuesday, but I haven’t discussed it yet.“

On the big picture, Federer understands he will not have time to get bored. “I have my foundation, I’m a dad, number one, and a husband so I want to spend loads of time with them. But then I will never stop travelling, I always want to be active, always ready to explore new things.”

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