Federer Says 'Retirement Can Wait' After Making Best Start To A Season

Roger Federer has again made it clear that he has no plans of hanging up his racket any time soon as he is enjoying his time on the ATP Tour at the moment. He has made his best start to a season and is currently 17-1 having won two titles thus far in 2018 — the Australian Open and the Rotterdam Open.

The Swiss ace is currently the number one ranked player in the world and has won nine titles in the last 14 months, which includes three Grand Slam titles. He made his third final of the 2018 season at the recently concluded BNP Paribas Open, but his unbeaten start to the season was ended by Juan Martin del Potro, who won his first Masters title.

Federer, despite being widely considered as the greatest player to ever play the game, has endured several tough moments during his career, but the 20-time Grand Slam champion admits that it is important to stay positive during times of adversity and be content with what one has achieved.

The 36-year-old is certainly in the later stages of his career, but continues to dominate the game. Federer has said he has no thoughts about retiring because everything he is currently enjoying is a bonus. His life as a tennis player was complete when he found success at Wimbledon in 2003 and achieved the number one ranking for the first time in 2004.

“I think staying positive through the tough moments is really key,” Federer said, as quoted on Tennis World USA. “Because you're always going to go through ups and downs in your career, or as a person for that matter. It's sometimes a bit of a struggle and important that you take the right decisions; you surround yourself with the right people; you're happy with what you have.

"I have been content for a long, long time on the tour. I guess ever since I became world No.1 back in 2004 and won Wimbledon in 2003, my life was complete as a tennis player. Those were my dreams as a little kid. So that's why retirement can wait, and I'm just really enjoying the ride."

In 2016, when Federer missed the last six months of the season due to a knee injury, a number of questions were raised about his future in the game. Many a former player doubted his ability to get back to winning ways and challenge for the major titles.

The eight-time Wimbledon winner silenced his critics by not only returning to full fitness, but also displaying some of his best tennis in the last 14 months since his return. Federer’s return to the top of tennis after dropping to world number 18 at the end of the 2016 season has earned him more admirers, and he is delighted that his rise can serve as inspiration to many others to continue pushing even when the chips are down.

“Yeah, I'm really having a good time on the tour. And I think by having had problems of my own in 2016, people like to see the easy part, how I make it look easy. It's not always like that. For nobody, it's like that at the top,” he added.

“Yeah, it's a good story. When I can inspire and motivate people through my story, that's obviously a great thing.”