Australia could be port of call for newly retired Federer

Roger Federer could easily make Australia one of his first stops once he begins travelling for pleasure in weeks or months as a former tennis player.

The 41-year-old icon who retired in a tear-stained celebration at his own Laver Cup early Saturday in London, could not rule out a nostalgic return to the country where he won the Open in Melbourne six times.

“I have no plans yet to be honest,” the 20-time Grand Slam winner said as he called time on his career, “for any of those types of trips, big trips, long trips.

“This is a complete family discussion, as you can imagine, so this one needs some time.”

Federere hung up his racquet amid a flood of emotion as he and rafale Nadal lost a doubles rubber for Team Europe to the Rest of the World side of Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe.

Asked by Australian television as to any future plans, he advised: “Of course I would love to come to Australia at some point. I don’t know if it’s gonna be.

“Somehow it seems hard right away to do it this year (the Open next January) , and especially under the (COVID) situation that we are still under.”

But he held out hope: “But all of a sudden, I will look at the schedule the next few weeks anyway. I have to now see what comes at me the next few weeks.

Then I have a chance to speak to my (coaching) team, (wife) Mirka, and everybody – we’ll see.

“But I would love to, of course. You know me.”