Roger Federer hugged a lion mascot as he returned to the Shanghai Masters for a ceremony (Picture: Tennis TV)
returned to the Shanghai Masters on Friday for a particular ceremony as he was named the “icon athlete” of the match. The retired tennis legend watched outdated match clips and answered some fan questions throughout a presentation that additionally noticed a wierd second the place Federer had an encounter with a lion mascot.
The Shanghai Masters is being staged for the primary time since Federer’s retirement after taking a four-year hiatus. The Swiss star reached the quarter-final final time the match was performed in 2019 and he was again this time round to be honoured throughout an on-court ceremony on day 10 of the occasion.
The match director introduced the two-time former champion with presents earlier than Federer mirrored on a few of his previous matches in Shanghai. The 42-year-old then took half in a Q&A with tennis legend Li Na and rising star Zhizhen Zhang coming onto the courtroom to ask Federer the questions that had been submitted by followers.
Federer was requested a giant one – whether or not he was ever tempted to return to the tennis tour. It prompted some cheers from the followers who hoped to see him again on a courtroom. However the 20-time Main winner shortly shut down any solutions of a comeback.
Simply in
Li Na and Zhizhen Zhang got here to the courtroom to ask Roger Federer some questions (Picture: Tennis TV)
“I’m extraordinarily fortunately retired like Na Li,” Federer smiled. “For me, there’s no coming again. I had an absolute blast on the tour. I really feel like I took the lemon and I squeezed it out till the final drop. I gave all of it I had and there’s none left and now I am only a tremendous tennis fan like all of you.”
However the former world No 1 did not rule out a return differently as he shared his hopes of embarking on an exhibition tour in a while in his retirement. He continued: “However what a journey it’s been and it took me right here to probably the most unbelievable locations on the planet to play tennis and it’s been unbelievable. In fact, I miss these moments however now one other chapter has begun and the final 12 months has been terrific.
“Sadly much less tennis [but] extra tennis with the youngsters. However I hope that down the highway possibly I can play an exhibition match again right here in China, right here in Shanghai even, and world wide so I can play in entrance of all of you once more.”
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Roger Federer mentioned he was fortunately retired as he dominated out a return to skilled tennis (Picture: Tennis TV)
Federer revealed that he was nonetheless getting out on the courtroom along with his 4 youngsters, who not too long ago attended tennis academies over the summer season. “I play so much with my youngsters however the issue is that I’m nonetheless the dad and that creates the issue,” he laughed.
“So if I used to be the previous tremendous participant and never the dad that will be simpler however because the dad there’s an emotional twist, extremely sophisticated.” And it seems that the 103-time title winner is having fun with carry after skilled tennis. “I imply change has been nice,” he defined.
“Simply having a life the place I can dictate far more the place I’m going to go, what I’ll do. Meet up with family and friends and simply additionally pondering somewhat bit extra additional forward than simply the subsequent match, the subsequent follow and so forth. I really feel like life in a approach is far more easy.”
