I want to let the fans know that you'll see me again: Roger Federer

Bengaluru, Sept. 21: Swiss great Roger Federer, who is set to retire from the sport after the upcoming Laver Cup, promised his fans that he will still be around the game in some capacity. The 20-time Grand Slam champion announced his decision to retire from competitive tennis last week.

Ahead of the Laver Cup, which is set to get underway on Friday (Sept. 23), Federer said he will be around and 'won't be a ghost' after his retirement. Federer was last seen on court during Wimbledon 2021. After losing to Hubert Hurkacz in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last year, Federer has been out of action due to a knee injury.

The tennis great said that the sport has given him too much and he has fallen in love with the tennis. "I talked about Bjorn Borg. I don't think he returned to Wimbledon for 25 years. I don't think I'll be that guy and I feel tennis has given me too much. I have been around the game for too long. Have fallen in love with too many things," the Swiss great was quoted by Sky Sports.

Speaking during a press conference ahead of the Laver Cup at London's O2, the 41-year-old Federer said, "I just wanted to let the fans know I won't be a ghost."

The tennis great went on to add that he wishes to be associated with the game in some capacity and will need some time to decide in what capacity he would want to return and be around the sport he loved. "I love seeing people again, and that's kind of what I wanted to let the fans know that you'll see me again. Not just never again. Now what it could be, in what capacity, I don't know. So I still have to think about it a little bit but give myself time," Federer said.

Opening up about his decision to retire after a 24-year-long career, Federer said decisions like this doesn't come overnight and it was an emotional process. "It was about time that I retired. I think a moment like this doesn't come overnight. It was a process, an emotional one, which at the end I thought we managed well, with the family, the team, my closest friends.

"It all worked out and here we are now at the Laver Cup. But it was definitely more a highly unusual last few weeks for me," signed off Federer who is set to play his final match when the Laver Cup gets underway at London's O2.