Swiss tennis great Roger Federer on Friday said he was still hungry to win trophies but “longevity” was now his main goal as younger rivals stand in the way of more records and victories.
“I want to try and make this last as long as I can... I don't want to fizzle out,” the world number two, holder of an unmatched 17 Grand Slams, told journalists in Singapore.
“I think longevity is the word here that I'm looking for,” he said during a stopover on his way to the Australian Open in Melbourne.
“I hope to keep on playing for many years, because I love it. I love the pressure of playing with a new generation coming up, who are, you know, improving quickly,” said the father of twin girls.
Federer, who won a singles silver at the London 2012 Olympics and a gold in doubles at Beijing 2008, still wants to compete at the 2016 Games in Rio, when he will be 35, an age when most tennis professionals have retired.
“It really is great how happy I've been playing for so long, you know, people always tell me everything has to fade away eventually, but I'm not 89 years old yet, you know,” he said.
“So I feel like I'm still very young, I know tennis wouldn't last forever, so might as well make the best of it while it lasts.”
As part of plans to extend his shelf life, Federer plans to play only 14 events in 2013 beginning in Melbourne, according to his official website. – AFP