Federer sends fans into frenzy with retirement 'joke'

Roger Federer seemed to drop a massive retirement hint following his first round victory at the US Open.

The World No.2 was way too strong for Yoshihito Nishioka on Wednesday (AEST), blitzing into the second round 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.

But it was what he said after the match that sent fans and pundits into a frenzy.

The Swiss Maestro has never really opened up about when he plans to retire from tennis following a long and storied career.

But he dropped a major hint in his on-court interview.

“Almost time to retire, but not yet,” he said.

While only a small comment, fans immediately latched onto it.

The 37-year-old Federer was asked at his news conference to clarify his comment, and as it turns out it was completely harmless.

”That was meaning, like, ‘I never lost a first-round match here at the Open. I won all my 18. You don’t want that (loss) to happen next year.’ I said, ‘Maybe I could retire now, because I protect my 18 first-round wins here.’ That’s what I meant with it,” he said. ”It’s a total joke, yes.”

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And, then, addressing all of the members of the media in the room, just to make absolutely sure everyone understood what he’d been thinking, Federer added with a smile: ”So please don’t read into it. Don’t even write that word.”

For years, actually, Federer has dealt with questions about when he might retire. In part, that’s because elite tennis players often used to become not-so-elite by the time they passed the age of 30.

If anything, he’s looked as good as ever over the past two seasons, adding three Grand Slam titles in that span to raise his men’s record to 20.

Against Nishioka, Federer delivered 14 aces and never was in any trouble.

Federer saved the first eight break points he faced before finally faltering by pushing a forehand long on the ninth, losing serve for the only time while trying to close out the match at 5-2 in the third set. By then, the match was 1 hour, 45 minutes old – and it would last another seven minutes.

”Thankfully I wasn’t too nervous tonight. I felt good. I felt like I had a good preparation week. No hiccups there. I think that settles my nerves there. When you do walk out onto Arthur Ashe, you feel like people are there to see the show, enjoy themselves. Sure, they come for the tennis, but it’s also sort of a bucket list, wanting to be there,” Federer said.

”So, yeah, there’s pressure. But, no, never gets old,” he added. ”I love coming to play here. It’s been so many years now.”

The No. 2-seeded Federer is seeking his sixth title at the US Open, but first in a decade.

He could face No. 30 Nick Kyrgios in the third round and 13-time major champion Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals.

with agencies