Roger Federer wants to play in Rio Olympics 2016

Written by: Staff on 7th December 2012

EXHIBITION TOURNAMENT GILLETTE FEDERER TOUR

Roger Federer wants to play in Rio Olympics 2016

epa03499480 Swiss tennis player Roger Federer celebrates after scoring against Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, during their Exhibition Tournament Gillette Federer Tour match at the Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 06 December 2012. EPA/Sebastião Moreira |

Roger Federer has re-emphasized his long-term goal of playing on to the Rio 2016 Olympics as he began his South American exhibition tour in Sao Paulo, saying that he still plans to trim his schedule in coming years.

That process has already begun for the 31-year-old for 2013, with Federer skipping Doha, Miami, Monte Carlo and possibly his home Swiss Indoors in Basel among other cutbacks in order to better program his upcoming campaign.

“I’m not going to play 25 tournaments, but every tournament that I will be playing I’ll be emotionally attached to it, because I either won there before or because I’ve been there many times or because I love the city or the country and the fans,” said the Swiss, who played 21 events in 2012, the most among the leading four players.

The winner of six 2012 titles added: “I’ve reached a point in my life that I can pick and choose where I want to play and how much I want to play. I have to make sure that I take care of my schedule, of my body, of my mind.

“Hopefully I can still stay on tour for many more years and hopefully play the Olympics here in three and a half years or so, so I have to look far ahead and not just the next six months.”

Federer, the 17-time Grand Slam winner who seized back the No. 1 ranking from Novak Djokovic .last summer after winning a seventh Wimbledon but finished second behind the Serb in the year-end standings, said that he figures he can regain the position through two Grand Slam and five to eight other titles in other tournaments.

“It’s difficult, but I’m happy to set that challenge and I’ll give everything I have. I’ve played a lot of tennis. It’s been a big challenge, especially with the Olympics and the Davis Cup this year.

“I found my way back to world No.1 and it took a lot of sacrifices. I’d like to be home a little bit more often and in a relaxed fashion.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Brazilian tennis news, Davis Cup, Federer, Olympic tennis, Rio Olympics 2016, Roger Federer, South American tennis news