Roger Federer shares how the pandemic facilitated his transition into post-tennis life

Tennis legend Roger Federer opens up about his journey into post-tennis life and how the COVID-19 pandemic played a significant role in easing his transition. After an illustrious career that captivated fans worldwide, the Swiss maestro bid farewell to the sport with an emotional tribute at the Laver Cup.

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In a recent interview, Roger Federer expressed contentment and no regrets regarding his retirement from tennis. After an illustrious career spanning over two decades, the Swiss maestro bid farewell to the sport, culminating with a memorable appearance at the Laver Cup. The event saw his greatest rivals on tour, including Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray, gather to pay tribute to the tennis icon. The emotional farewell ceremony in London marked the end of Federer's professional journey, as he teamed up with Nadal for a doubles fixture, bringing tears to the eyes of both players and spectators.

Speaking to the New York Times, the former World No. 1 discussed his retirement and how he has adjusted to life without tennis and the adoration of fans, which had been a constant part of his life for so long. Federer acknowledged that he initially had uncertainties about what life would be like without the sport that defined his identity.

"I always feel like I’ve reached a high point, and then it keeps going. Life without the game, and life without the fans, and life without the schedule that has dominated my life for 25 years has definitely been something I didn’t know how I would take. For the longest time I tried to come back and give it one more shot and leave the game healthy, but it was not doable," Federer said.

Fortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic's impact coincided with Federer's gradual slowdown in playing, sparing him from the abrupt end that his knee injury eventually necessitated. Now, as the 41-year-old looks back on his remarkable journey, he finds solace in the fact that his retirement came to fruition in the most perfect and satisfying manner.

"But the good/bad thing about Covid, and with my knee surgery, is that everything started to slow down in the past three years, so it wasn’t like I came from playing 100 matches and then boom, it’s over," he added.

Reflecting on the Laver Cup ceremony, Federer called it the "most perfect" end to his career, adding that the presence of his family and friends at the occasion made it all very special.

Now that he's retired and happy, the Swiss maestro no longer has to "chase that itch" of competition anymore, for which he's very grateful.

"At the end I was relieved, I think, and happy to retire. It ended in the most perfect way at the Laver Cup."I was surrounded by my biggest rivals, and my family was there and my friends. For me it felt like, “OK, I’m good now. I don’t need to chase that itch anymore,” Federer said.