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Roger Federer confirmed speculation that he is no longer represented by longtime agent Tony Godsick and management firm IMG (International Management Group). Before his four-set win today over Nicolas Mahut, there was news that Godsick had left IMG leaving Federer in limbo.
“Our contract with Roger Federer has expired and we no longer represent him,” IMG spokesman Jim Gallagher told Businessweek. “Roger is an iconic figure in the world of sports. A gentleman and a great champion, and we hope to work with him again in the future.”
Speaking afterward, Federer shed light on the situation.
“Well, I left them already, back when,” Federer said regarding IMG when he left them in 2003. “This is not the first time. So obviously it’s first days of the new months. Obviously this is when contracts sometimes do run out, and that’s been the situation in my case. And in Tony’s case, he didn’t renew. So we’ll see where it goes now. The rest is confidential, I guess. I don’t even know how much I’m allowed to say. And I don’t want to speak about it, anyways, because it’s not my favorite subject. Yeah, I’m aware of it, obviously. And I’ll have to see what happens, but never say never. Who knows what happens the next few weeks, months, and years.”
Federer also hinted that Godsick is no longer handling his affairs at the moment. “Right now, I don’t think so, but I’m still playing the tournament, though.”
Following an early stint with IMG after turning pro, Federer left the firm in 2003 but then re-joined them in 2005.
“I was very close with Teddy Forstmann, who unfortunately passed away last year,” Federer said of the late IMG boss. “Obviously I had an emotional attachment to the company that way. He was the one who brought me back really, and so obviously when all of that happened, potentially it wasn’t helpful. I don’t know at this moment what’s gonna happen next. But I’m relaxed, which is important at this very moment.”
Prevailing wisdom is Godsick will open a new company with Federer as his star client.
“I left IMG last night, my contract ran out and I took the decision not to do a new contract,” Godsick confirmed to Businessweek today. “That’s it.”
Federer meets David Goffin on Sunday. Goffin is a 21-year-old “lucky loser” who is having the tournament of his young life. And the Belgian has a special idol: Roger Federer.
“Not the first time it happens,” Federer joked when told he’s Goffin’s idol. “It’s strange. I tell you that. It’s weird. It’s strange. It’s everything you can imagine. I’m happy to hear it, though. So it’s a big match obviously for him, and for me, too. It is a fourth round of a Grand Slam, after all, here in Paris where I know the Belgians, they like coming here and supporting their players like Justine and Kim in the past. I expect some Belgian fans to be there, too. Yeah, it’s gonna be unusual match for me, knowing that now.”
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