Roger Federer set to play ‘special’ final match of career on Friday with Rafael Nadal
Roger Federer will not be playing his final match of his career on Friday, as he has not played since 2013.
The 33-year-old Swiss, who started his year 11 tennis season with a five-set defeat to Australian Sam Groth, was speaking at a press conference with his family in Zurich.
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Roger Federer, 33, will not be playing his final match of his career on Friday as he has not played since 2013
The former world number one and 2011 champion, who had never won a grand slam, said: ‘The decision to prolong the tennis season was also mine.’
Federer will play his first match since the season ended in March at the Indian Wells Masters against fellow Swiss Dominic Thiem, then follow up with another quarter-final against Germany’s Alexander Zverev.
This will be Federer’s seventh grand slam final in his career, as he is the oldest player to reach all seven.
Federer defeated Zverev in 2013 to win the Wimbledon for the second time in his career
Federer’s career has been plagued by injury-hit seasons but he went past the quarter-finals of his last three tournaments back in May, where he was eventually beaten by his countryman Stan Wawrinka.
Federer, who is now ranked at 27th in the world, said: ‘This decision will not influence my career for a few months.’
He added: ‘I never expected to have a year without a final. I thought it would be more of a challenge, but these moments can make you grow or break you down.’
Federer has not won a major since his second Wimbledon in 2011.
Federer, who has not played since March 2013, is currently ranked 27th in the world
Federer’s career started off on a promising note in 2010 when he was awarded a wildcard into a semi-final at Wim
