Sports Desk
LONDON: Roger Federer said he doesn’t know if he will play another Wimbledon after being upset in the quarterfinals by Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz.
“Of course, I would like to play it again, but at my age you’re just never sure what’s around the corner,” said Federer, who turns 40 on Aug. 8.
Federer said he will take a few days to determine his next steps, including whether he will play the Tokyo Olympics. Asked about retirement, he said his goal is to continue playing. “Everything that comes after Wimbledon, we were always going to sit down and talk about it,” he said. “What do I need to do to get in better shape so I can be more competitive?”
Hurkacz, the 14th seed in his first major quarterfinal, swept Federer 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-0, marking the Swiss’ first straight-sets defeat at the All England Club since 2002. It’s his first time losing a set 6-0 in 119 career Wimbledon matches and his second bagel anywhere since 1999.
Federer, the sixth seed, won the first of his record eight Wimbledon men’s singles titles in 2003. It was also the first of his 20 Grand Slam singles titles, a male record he shares with Rafael Nadal. Novak Djokovic will tie them if he wins Wimbledon on Sunday.
Federer’s last Grand Slam title came at the 2018 Australian Open. He went 13 months between tournaments after two knee surgeries in 2020, progressing from crutches to walking free to being back on the tennis court.
“I’m actually very happy I made it as far as I did here and I actually was able to play Wimbledon at the level that I did after everything I went through,” he said.
The Centre Court crowd gave Federer a standing ovation as he left Wednesday. Federer acknowledged them.
“That’s why I play,” he said of the atmosphere. “That’s why I still play now.”
Hurkacz plays No. 7 Matteo Berrettini of Italy or No. 16 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in the semifinals on Friday.
