Roger Federer has been warned against prolonging his career following his exit at the US Open.
Federer, a five-time champion at Flushing Meadows, suffered a shock defeat to Australian John Millman in the quarter-finals. In the next round, Swiss legend Federer was due to face Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, who he lost to in the final of the Cincinnati Masters last month. Federer has enjoyed an impressive revival since the start of last year, winning three of the seven Grand Slams played.
But tennis legends Pat Cash and Boris Becker have warned that performing at the highest level will only get more difficult for 37-year-old Federer. ‘When you don’t play all the time, you have a reduced schedule, eventually you’re going to start throwing in losses and unexplainable bad performances,’ former Wimbledon champion Cash said. ‘And it’s not going to happen a lot. It’s just going to happen every once in a while then it’s going to happen a little bit more and then a little bit more and then you start going “you know what, I either get back and play or I retire”. ‘He may or may not make that decision this time. I’m not saying that it’s imminent but he may feel “look, I’ve had enough, I’ve played plenty of tennis”, which I think he has right to say that probably about six years ago.
Becker, who won six Grand Slams, said: ‘I thought he would beat Millman and face Novak. It wasn’t meant to be. We hate to say this but Roger is a human being. ‘He’s the GOAT, he won everything, but farther time waits for no man. ‘He’s amazingly fit but there comes a time for everybody when it becomes more difficult. That’s what happens when you drop one or two per cent.’
