Roger Federer playing his classic forehand shot during the 2020 Australian Open. (Getty Images)
Roger Federer will be nearly 40 and could decide on his retirement after the Olympics
A record 20 Grand Slams to his name, there is no doubt Roger Federer is one of the all-time greats of the sport tennis.
Despite turning professional back in 1998, Federer is still going strong and is playing at the highest level. His current rankings are a mere testament to his dominance in the sport even at this age.
He is currently the fourth-ranked player in the world. However, that could have been under threat had games not been suspended due to the coronavirus.
At the start of the year, Federer was ranked third. However, a not so satisfying display at the season-opening Australian Open saw the Swiss lose his spot to Dominic Thiem.
Federer is currently undergoing self-isolation and recovery after his right knee surgery at his home.
But now with the ATP suspending all matches at least until June 7, it remains to be seen what the future has in store for the 38-year-old.
He was looking forward to this year’s Wimbledon Championships – his favourite surface where he has won a record eight titles so far.
Having won all the possible Majors, there isn’t much left for the Swiss genius to prove in the sport of tennis.
However, there is one trophy that has eluded him so far. He still doesn’t possess a singles gold medal at the Olympics and Federer was looking forward to participating in the 2020 Olympics at Tokyo.
Federer still has gold in Olympics, that he won alongside countrymate Stan Wawrinka in the doubles event back in 2008 in Beijing.
However, the Swiss maestro faces a daunting task ahead as the Olympics authorities decided to postpone the event to 2021 in the wake of the current pandemic.
Despite still being the best, Federer has not won a Grand Slam since his Australian Open title in 2018. Though in the past he had shown the world that he could bounce back anytime, Federer is not getting any younger.
He will turn 39 coming August and by next year will touch 40 shortly after the Olympics. He was close to grabbing a singles gold. However, he lost to homeboy Britain’s Andy Murray in the final.
Federer’s dream of a Olympic gold prolonged even more when he had to skip the 2016 Olympics in Rio due to injury. So, the Tokyo Olympics remain Federer’s final swansong before he announces his retirement.
However, Federer has still not yet made any official statement regarding his retirement plans. Also, Federer has been in recent times skipping events in a bid to prolong his career. The Swiss master opted out of the French Open in 2017, and the subsequent year before making a comeback.
There is no denying his talent, age could be a factor considering the brand of tennis that has evolved. With many upcoming stars such as Thiem, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas making noise in the background, it won’t be easy.
The 2021 Tokyo Olympics could be the Swiss star’s final shot at a major honour. He has given everything to the sport, and maybe, he can finish with a flourish.
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