Twenty-time Grand Slam singles champion Roger Federer said Saturday he felt freed by his retirement from pro tennis, but wouldn't hesitate to relive his 25-year career.
Speaking at a tennis clinic at Tokyo's Ariake Coliseum, Federer said his retirement in September opened his eyes to the weight and grind that playing on the world tour can take.
Asked what had changed for him, the Swiss great said, "It's the things that have dropped away, the weight, the pressure...always thinking of your next practice, your next match."
"It never lets you go, your next travel, your next packing. I don't think I was that much aware of it, how much it rides with you until you retire, and then you realize that stress all drops away. You feel very much lighter, relieved."
"You can live normally again after 25 years."
Retired tennis star Roger Federer gives a clinic to children in Tokyo on Nov. 19, 2022. (Kyodo)
Now able to spend more time with family, the 41-year-old Federer said he was looking forward to going skiing with his four children, something he avoided in the past for fear of injury.
And though he cherishes the life he had, he sees players now who realize that tennis does not have to completely rule their lives.
"I see players are trying to stay on the tour longer, and maybe sometimes players realize it's OK to take three months off or six months off or a year even and still be able to come back again and give yourself a rest," he said.
"The tour is tough...the travel, the practice, the jetlag. Nobody is allowed to say, 'I'm tired today,' because it looks like you're weak, and maybe that's why there are so many mental problems. You're supposed to show strength. But we're human beings, we're not machines."
Yet, asked what he missed about that former life, Federer said "everything."
"I loved my time on tour. If I could turn back time 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, I would love to do it all over again," he said.
Twenty-time Grand Slam singles champion Roger Federer plays at a tennis event in Tokyo on Nov. 19, 2022. (Kyodo)
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Tennis: Roger Federer less stressed in retirement but would do it all again - Kyodo News Plus
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