Roger Federer’s cups have not exactly runneth over.
It’s Laver Cup and nothing else on the team competition front these days for Federer. Switzerland is not part of the upcoming Davis Cup festivities in Madrid and the 38-year-old announced on Wednesday that he will not play in the inaugural ATP Cup this coming January. Federer’s withdrawal means that Switzerland as a team is out of the 2020 ATP Cup, which is taking place in three different cities around Australia prior the Australian Open.
Speaking of the year’s first Grand Slam, Federer did confirm that he is good to go for those festivities.
“After much discussion with both my family and my team about the year ahead, I have decided that the extra two weeks at home will be beneficial for both my family and my tennis,” the world No. 3 explained. “It pains me to not be a part of the most exciting new event on the calendar, but this is the right thing to do if I want to continue to play for a longer period of time on the ATP Tour.
“I am sorry for any inconvenience or disappointment my withdrawal may cause for the fans, but I hope you can understand why I made it. For my Australian fans, I look forward to seeing you all at the Australian Open, fresh and ready to go.”
Federer is doing whatever he can to preserve the longevity of his career, having pulled out of the BNP Parisbas Masters after winning a 10th title in Basel. Since the U.S. Open, he has played at the Laver Cup, in Shanghai, and in Basel. The 20-time Grand Slam champion also has the Nitto ATP Finals on his schedule coming up in less than two weeks.
“Roger is indisputably a legend of our sport and we have been blessed that he has managed to stay at the top of the game for so long,” Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley noted. “We understand this has been a really difficult decision for him. He has always done an extraordinary job being a great dad while managing his career.
“Although we know the fans in Sydney would love to have seen him compete in the ATP Cup, we totally respect his decision and look forward to seeing him at the Australian Open.”
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probably smart
Fed can do what he wants, he’s certainly earned it!
It would look selfish if he was 30. But in his case it’s fine. More time to prepare for AO, which is good news.
He is maximizing everything to win AO n he well may . The courts are fast there now.