Roger Federer drops major hint about tennis future ahead of Shanghai Masters

Roger Federer has dropped the biggest hint that retirement is nowhere close to his mind after refusing to rule out the possibility of playing in the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020.

The Swiss ace has turned back the clock in 2017 despite questions being raised about his future in the game following his injury struggles in 2016 and returned to world number two in the world. He missed the last six months of last season owing to a knee injury and started 2017 ranked number 16 in the world.

Federer has won five titles thus far this campaign including two Grand Slam titles – the Australian Open and a record breaking eighth Wimbledon title. He is currently 2360-points behind long-time rival Rafael Nadal, who is top of the men's singles ranking and they are battling for the coveted year-end number one ranking.

The 36-year-old is looking almost back to his best and displayed a new aggressive form of tennis especially in his backhand wing and will be one of the favourites going into the Shanghai Masters, which starts on Monday (9 October).

Federer indicated earlier in the year that retirement is not on his mind when he signed a deal to play the Basel Open until 2019. He has now hinted that he could play in the Tokyo Games in 2020. An Olympic gold medal is one achievement that has escaped him after he fell to Andy Murray in the 2012 London Olympic men's singles final.

"I'm staying in Japan for a short period of two days, but the day before I had sushi and shabu shabu, I went to karaoke for the first time and have enjoyed Japan," Federer said during a Nike event in Tokyo before traveling to China for the Shanghai Masters, as quoted by the Express.

"I don't know why it took so long to come back to Japan. I still cannot say whether I will play in the 2020 Olympics Games, but I will certainly come back again in the near future again!" the 19-time men's singles Grand Slam champion added.