• ATP Tour

Federer rubbishes retirement talk

ESPN staff
August 4, 2011
Roger Federer has no plans to retire © PA Photos
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Roger Federer insists he has no concerns about turning 30 and believes he still has what it takes to keep up with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Federer will head to Montreal for next week's Rogers Cup Masters event, where he will celebrate his 30th birthday on Monday. Failure to win the US Open next month will see the 16-time major champion end the year without a grand slam in his possession for the first year since 2002.

Federer has slipped to third in the rankings, having seen Nadal and Djokovic claim the last six slams, but although he is desperate for a return up the world order, the Swiss insists he is happy with his position.

"I'm at peace with myself," Federer said. There's nothing else I can do. I'm very laid back about the situation. Sure, I'd love to be world No. 1 and not No. 3. No. 3 is a good ranking. It's not number I-don't-know-what. I'm at peace with that."

The likes of Nadal (25), Djokovic (24) and Andy Murray (24) are all over five years his junior, but Federer insists he is entertaining no thoughts of retirement.

"I'm already thinking beyond the Olympics next year. That's kind of how my schedule goes," he said. "Birthdays happen. They're part of life. I'm happy I'm getting older. I'd rather be 30 than 20, to be honest. To me it's a nice time.

"In the preparation nothing changes. Do you listen to your body more? Yes you do. Are you more wise? Yes you are. Are you more experienced? Yes. Do you have 1000 matches in your body? Yes you do. You just go with what you have."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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