The following is a transcript of a video news release interview courtesy of Mercedes Benz with Roger Federer in advance of the Laver Cup, the final event of his ATP Tour pro career.
Question: Last week you announced your retirement from professional sport – what prompted you to do so?
Roger Federer: It was about time that I retire. I think a moment like this obviously doesn’t come overnight. It was an emotional process, which at the end I thought we managed well with the family, my team and my closest friends. I had to obviously tell a lot of people as well. So the organisation was big at the end to make sure it wouldn’t leak because it was important to me to tell my fans directly. It all worked out and here we are at the Laver Cup. But it was it was definitely more a highly unusual last few weeks for me.
Question: How difficult was this step for you?
Roger Federer: I mean, the decision was in a way difficult to take because you never want to take it. I think as a professional athlete, you want to always be active forever. You want to feel like you can come back on tour and win some matches and go back on a big court. But at the same time, you also know it’s going to be over at some point. I think this is the right time for sure.
Question: What are your plans for the future?
Roger Federer: I’ve always tried to keep somewhat of a clean slate, so my future, I think, looks very open at the moment. Yet, I mean, I’m going to be an ambassador for brands. I own a piece of On running. I have my foundation. I am a dad, number one, and a husband. So I want to spend loads of time with my family as well but then I will never stop travelling. You know, I always want to be active and always ready to explore new things and right now it’s about enjoying the process and the week here in London. And then once it’s all said and done to go back and read a little bit what maybe I have not seen about me yet or have accomplished, and then you can start sort of turning the page. And then I always wanted to also stay involved in the game in some shape or form, and I’m sure I’ll find some really exciting role where I can give back to the younger generation.
Question: The Laver Cup will be your last active appearance on the big tennis stage. How excited are you?
Roger Federer: The Laver Cup is going to be my last active tournament that I will play. It feels good. I think it’s a lovely place. Having Bjorn Borg as my captain, you can imagine that means the world to me. I think it’s going to be very special doing it here in London. It’s going to be great just because the city has given me two world tour finals victories. And then down the road in Wimbledon, winning there eight times plus Juniors. This city and its fans have given me a lot. I thought it was also very fitting to end it here. I will not stop playing tennis, I will just not play for points anymore. I will keep on playing with my children, with my friends, hope to play exhibitions in the future and just still keep on promoting the game and playing in places I’ve never played before. So I’m really looking forward to that as well in the future.
Question: For the first time ever, you will be competing for Team Europe at this year’s Laver Cup in London’s O2 Arena alongside your permanent rivals Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. How much are you looking forward to the tournament, where competitors become teammates?
Roger Federer: I’m really looking forward to a competition like the Laver Cup where competitors become teammates. For me, it’s a very special week because I was part of building the idea of the Laver Cup with my good friend and agent Tony Godsick. We worked long and hard on the concept and I think we came up with something really special. I think now having the Big Four all together in the same week is really a dream come true.
Question: Team Europe is on a remarkable winning streak at the Laver Cup, with four victories in total. Are these good omens for a fifth victory for Team Europe?
Roger Federer: Yes, it’s a very good omen to have won the last four years. And I think having someone like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on the team, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, everybody and Andy Murray and me – we’re maybe not at the peak anymore where we used to be, but still with the home court advantage, home court crowd. With everything that we’ve done and achieved through the last years, especially at
the Laver Cup, I think we’re coming in as heavy favourites. I really think it’s always close. Every year we’ve had some tremendous close matches. You always see a lot of third set super tiebreakers, and anything can happen in those as we know. Last year we really dominated the doubles in those ties of which I was a bit surprised. I do feel maybe this year could be more difficult again. I don’t think we can expect a blow-out like we had in Boston last year.
Question: The Laver Cup is a unique format in tennis that brings together legendary captains the world’s best players. What three words would you use to describe the Laver Cup?
Roger Federer: The three words I would use to describe the Laver Cup: Unique. Intense. And I would use a word like “generation” as you have the future, the present and the past.
Question: In 2023, the Laver Cup will be held in Vancouver. Do you think we could see completely new names and faces? Of course current number one of the world Carlos Alcaraz would be an enrichment for Team Europe. What do you think we can expect from him in the future?
Roger Federer: I think the Laver Cup going to Vancouver is a great choice. I heard it’s a wonderful city I’ve never been to, but I’m sure going to Canada with its players Denis Shapovalov and Félix Auger-Aliassime is going to create a lot of energy for Team World. It’s always nice to welcome new faces to the Laver Cup. We try to do that every single year, but not everybody can fit it into the schedule. But I think the week is so much fun. You learn so much, you can ask all the questions you have to John McEnroe, to me or to Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic. You name it. We’re all here. It’s a great and a fun week, but also a very intense week. So I understand if they can’t fit it into the schedule. Of course, if Carlos Alcaraz can be part of the team next year, that’ll be great. We hoped to have him here this year. We were in touch with his team, I know his coach very well, I used to play against him. But he just said, it could be a little bit too much. And I’m the first to always protect a good and healthy schedule for players. That’s why we created a concept that hopefully is intense, but yet you don’t leave as a broken man once you leave the Laver Cup, because that’s not the idea of the competition.
Question: You are standing here in front of the new EQS from Mercedes-Benz. How do you like the vehicle and could this be your next?
Roger Federer: I like the EQS. It would not be my next car as it’s my present car at the moment. I’m driving it at home and I like driving it a lot. It’s super, super smooth. The inside, I’m still coming to turn with it and with the many buttons, the many features it has. I just found out another thing you can do with the car to feel better: To relax better with the music, the light show, the vibrations of the chair, massage. There was so much going on at the same time we were laughing with my daughter when we’re driving in the car. It’s a great drive and I’m really pleasantly surprised at the range with electric cars is actually not a big deal. It’s only if you go for super long trips, you need to plan ahead. It’s really no big deal. So it’s a fun drive.
Question: Do you have any special plans with Mercedes-Benz after your active career?
Roger Federer: I hope so. We have Neon Legacy up and running now. We’re looking forward to do more things as well in Vancouver in a year. And in the meantime, now that the news is out that I’m retiring, I think it allows us to do other things together. I mean, I love my relationship with Mercedes-Benz. So it would be fun to create new, cool projects together.
Read more of the career of Roger Federer in the book by Randy Walker “The Days of Roger Federer” for sale and download here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559378/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_KYHCYH3Y16WMSW5PMMQG
