“I don’t miss so much being out on court anymore. Just because I know the body couldn’t do it” – Federer

In an interview with CNN, Federer also spoke about his kids playing tennis and his send-off at the Laver Cup

Roger Federer with wife Mirka on Day 2 of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships Image Credit: Fotoarena / Panoramic

July 5, 2023

For anyone who had doubts whether Roger Federer maybe having a hard time dealing with life post-retirement, the Swiss revealed that he has transitioned into his life as a former player rather well.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion was back on Wimbledon’s Centre Court on Tuesday, not as a plyer, but for a special ceremony in his honour. On the same day, CNN released an interview with Federer, in which he talks about current life.

“Funny enough, I don’t miss so much being out on court anymore,” Federer told CNN in the interview. “Just because I know the body couldn’t do it. So I think it’s good that I couldn’t or I can’t, which then lets me watch and follow tennis as a total fan.”

The Swiss added that planning things ahead with his family and friends, something he could not do while he was on the tour, is something he enjoys.

“I think planning ahead and planning quite far ahead for personal moments with my family and friends, I think that’s what I enjoy the most,” Federer said. “Life’s honestly been good, and it came gradually, with COVID and my knee issues I didn’t play so much anymore at the end so actually, I feel like the transition was super smooth.”

In an exclusive interview with @chrissymacCNN, tennis legend @rogerfederer reflects on his new life in retirement and how it feels returning to Wimbledon this year.

Federer also spoke about the work he does with his charitable foundation.

Part one of their discussion: pic.twitter.com/U9W86ebqvU
— CNN International PR (@cnnipr) July 4, 2023

It was a very, very nice end because I was really, truly dreading that moment of how to go out of the game.
Roger Federer on his last match at the Laver Cup

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the 2022 Laver Cup in London Image Credit: Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic

During the interview, Federer also spoke about his kids playing tennis, saying that his twin boys are more into the sport and that his advice to them only goes so far.

“I’m not the coach, I am the dad and the dad’s advice, as we know, only goes so far,” the 41-year-old said. “It doesn’t matter if you’ve won Wimbledon or not, you’re still the dad and sometimes they don’t want to hear what you have to say. I try to be funny, but at the same time I also try to be straight sometimes and just teach them. I come in more as a technical coach so I try to teach them about all the tennis rackets.”

Federer also looked back at his retirement, saying that while he had been dreading the whole logistics of his goodbye, in terms of where and when, he felt his send-off at the Laver Cup was the perfect ending.

“I didn’t talk to anybody about it, really,” he said. “It was just more about getting away from it, but eventually [I had to] decide: where am I going to retire? How painful is it going to be? Or how much of a celebration will it be? But it ended up being everything and more for me. I thought it was beautiful and being surrounded by Rafa (Nadal), Novak (Djokovic), (Andy) Murray, (Bjorn) Borg, (John) McEnroe, (Rod) Laver, you name it, (Stefan) Edberg, they were all there, my team, my family. So it was a very, very nice end because I was really, truly dreading that moment of how to go out of the game.”

"It doesn't matter whether you've won Wimbledon or not, you're still the dad!" – @rogerfederer on his attempts to coach his kids in tennis.

Part two of his interview with @chrissymacCNN: pic.twitter.com/QnoG9eeMAK
— CNN International PR (@cnnipr) July 4, 2023

"I don't miss so much being out on court anymore," @rogerfederer tells @chrissymacCNN, explaining that his retirement has allowed him to "watch and follow tennis as a total fan."

Part three: pic.twitter.com/003IwRIlo1
— CNN International PR (@cnnipr) July 4, 2023