Rafael Nadal says ‘a part of his life left’ when Roger Federer retired
Roger Federer retired as the world No. 1 when he tied with Juan Martin del Potro at the US Open last year. (ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)
Roger Federer revealed on Monday that a part of his life left him when it came time to retire, but said that his loss of strength and “losing hope” was more difficult.
Federer, who had been world No. 1 for the past 12 years, said that he believed he would play as long as he wanted to, but his motivation “waning” took away from his determination to continue, according to the BBC.
“It’s not that I can keep going as long as I want and, as a player, that is one of the most difficult things to accept, the fact that I’m not going to be playing anymore.
“I do feel as though the best years of my life are behind me, and that is more difficult to accept. That’s one of the hardest things to accept.
“But then in the back of my mind, in the back of my heart, I’m really hoping that this is just a temporary thing and that when the time is right I’ll be able to take a short break and that I’ll come back again one day.”
Federer said he had tried to give himself a three-and-a-half-month window in the middle of his career to play as long as he wanted to.
But his strength and “losing hope” took more than that away from his determination to continue.
“I think a very important part of the process was I think when you lose hope you give up, and that is more difficult. I’ve had to accept my own reality,” Federer said.
“At the end of it all, I will try to live as a normal guy and as a normal pro who wants to be healthy and who wants to get on and play on and continue.”
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