Tennis icon Roger Federer is relishing his post-tennis chapter. The former world number one, who bid farewell to the sport in 2022, has seamlessly transitioned into retirement and is embracing his role as a devoted father to his four children with his wife, Mirka.
“Retirement is fantastic. It went smoothly,” the 42-year-old shared in an interview with Extra at the June 10 premiere of his documentary, Federer: The Final Act.
“It’s been a seamless transition. I’m incredibly content. We are the parents of four wonderful children. There are twin boys who are 10 and twin girls who are 14, as well as my wife,” he added. “We’ve been traveling the world and having a fantastic time while also assisting them with their schoolwork and working on projects like this one. So, I’ve been keeping myself occupied, and it’s been fantastic.”
Federer’s official retirement came after the Laver Cup in September 2022, but he had already begun envisioning his life beyond tennis following two knee surgeries in 2020 and 2021, which kept him off the court for much of his final years as a professional.
“I was a little unlucky with my knee. It was getting worse, so I think I got a sense of what life would be like after retirement, being at home more,” the Swiss player reflected.
In his documentary, which chronicles the final stages of his illustrious career, Federer becomes emotional when discussing his life beyond tennis, according to Extra.
“I always felt that my career could end with any injury, and it’s just tennis—I always tried to remind myself of that,” Federer explained at the premiere.
“With each match or tournament victory, especially a tournament, I knew it could be my last, so you always have to live in the moment and accept that one day you’ll no longer be a tennis player and will only be a former tennis player,” he continued. “That mindset has helped me not worry too much about life after tennis. It’s been a fantastic journey, and I’m grateful that it unfolded the way it was meant to.”