Roger Federer admits he is relieved to 'live normally again' after retiring from tennis.
Federer, one of the sport's most iconic figures, waved a teary goodbye to the court in emotional scenes at the Laver Cup two months ago. The 20-time Grand Slam winner had returned from an injury layoff of 14 months for one last hurrah alongside his great rival Rafael Nadal in London.
In a heartfelt retirement message, Federer revealed that he was finally forced to listen to his body after fighting an uphill battle with his knee injury for a number of years.
And he has now reflected on the relentless, taxing nature of life on the ATP professional tour after stepping away from the sport aged 41. Federer has conceded that he never truly grasped quite how demanding life on the road was before he hung up his racquet.
“As a tennis player you’re always thinking about your next practice, your next match. It never lets you go, your next travel, your next packing,” he said at his sponsor Uniqlo’s Lifewear Day in Tokyo.
“I don't think I was that much aware of it, how much that thought is always there, and it rides with you, until you retire and then you realise that stress all drops away.
"Doping as an example. We have to fill out doping forms every single day, one hour during the day, where you are. You’re always aware in the back of your head, they could be coming any moment, especially in that hour. Once that all drops away you actually feel lighter, relieved that you can actually live normally again after 25 years."
Ash Barty stunned the tennis world when she announced her retirement aged 25 despite her dominance in women's tennis. But legend Federer sympathises with players suffering from mental problems on tour and understands why players are opting to retire at a younger age.
“When players retire at a super young age, I totally understand it," Federer added. "We see it from time to time. I always feel it’s such a pity, because there could still be so much going on in the future.
"I see players are trying to stay on the tour longer, and maybe also what’s happened in the past is that players do realise you can take three months off, or six months off, or a year off, and still be able to come back again and give yourself a rest.
He continued: "The tour is tough...the travel, the practice, the jetlag. Nobody is allowed to say, 'I'm tired today,' because it looks like you're weak, and that's why players sometimes end up with mental problems. You're supposed to show strength. But we're not machines, we’re human beings."
