Roger Federer has sent the tennis world in a spin after announcing he may be pushing back his retirement.
The 40-year-old Swiss player was welcomed to a standing ovation and a huge round of applause when he appeared at Wimbledon on Sunday for the traditional parade of champions.
Federer, who has been struggling with his right knee after undergoing three operations to help repair damage to his meniscus and cartilage, then announced exciting news to tennis fans.
“I hope I can come back one more time. I’ve missed it here,” he said.
“Of course I’ve missed being here. I would have loved to be here. I knew walking out here last year, it was going to be a tough year ahead.
With eight singles titles to his name, @rogerfederer 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆#Wimbledon | #CentreCourt100 pic.twitter.com/ucGLn0wW6q
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2022
“Maybe I didn’t think it was going to take me this long to come back. But the knee has been rough on me.
“I didn’t know if I should make the trip, but I’m happy standing right here, right now.”
Federer has played at Wimbledon every year since his main-draw debut in 1999 but had to sit out in 2022 due to the long recovery on his knee.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play a lot of matches on this court. Feels awkward to be here today in a different type of role,” he said.
“But it’s great to be here with … all the other champions. This court has given me my biggest wins, my biggest losses.”
Image: Getty Images
This article first appeared on OverSixty.