Federer Says $300M Contract Does Not Include 2020 Olympics Clause, Discusses Retirement

Roger Federer admitted he would love to play at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 but is unsure he will still be playing on the tour two years from now.

The Swiss ace has been on the ATP Tour for two decades and is widely considered as the greatest ever player to play the game. And at 37-years-old is still ranked among the top three players in the world.

Federer has won 20 men’s singles Grand Slam titles and 99 ATP singles titles during his career, but the one thing missing from his kitty is an Olympic gold medal in the men’s singles event – he does have one in the men’s doubles category.

He is keen to play at the showpiece event in Japan but remains unsure if he will still be playing on the ATP Tour in 2020. Moreover, Federer is not keen to play just for the sake of it – he will only do so if he thinks he is capable of challenging for the yellow metal.

“You know, I already experienced incredible Olympic Games. I would have to feel that I could still achieve something, everything would have to fit,” Federer said about his chances of playing at the Olympics, as quoted on Tennis World USA. “Would this be the case in 2 years? I can‘t answer that. But it‘s not true that I should have said that I absolutely want to play in Tokyo.”

“The explanation is: I don‘t know it. Everyone would love to play at the Olympics. To win Olympic Gold. Me too, logically.”

The World number three parted ways with Nike after almost two decades and signed a ten-year deal with Japanese apparel manufacturer Uniqlo in 2018 reported to be worth around $300 million.

But Federer, their biggest brand global brand ambassador insists that there is no clause in his contract with Uniqlo that will force him to play at the summer Olympics.

“It wasn‘t an article of the contract with Uniqlo,” Federer explained. “And as close as we are I have the feeling that it is still far away. Nearly 2 years… To think as a 37 years old that I would play the Olympics with 39…Of course I would love to play somehow but I have no idea if I‘m still going to be around then.”

Federer is aware that he is in the latter stages of his illustrious career but has continually stated that he is not close to retirement. He is still competing with the best and challenging for titles and is currently preparing for the season ATP Finals in London.

The Swiss tennis legend became the oldest number one in ATP history in 2018 and is guaranteed to finish the season as the world number three only behind two of his long-time rivals Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.