Roger Federer Doesn’t Sound Like Someone Who’ll Play Davis Cup This Year

After leading Switzerland to its first Davis Cup title last November, Roger Federer says he’s not planning on returning to the team competition this season, and he won’t be available for next week’s opening tie against Belgium.

“I have played for so long, and I think by winning it I can finally do whatever I please, to be quite honest,” Federer said yesterday in Dubai. “It’s been a big burden for me throughout my career and one of the things that have caused more difficulties in my life than many other things, I must say, because I always feel there is so much guilt put on you from the Federation or from the ITF more so than anybody else. So I’m happy I was able to finally tick that off and do it altogether.

“I didn’t do it just for that,” he went on. “I totally did it for the boys more than for me, to be quite honest. I just really wanted Michael and Marco and Stan to get it because they deserve it. So for me this year it was very clear that I was not going to play anymore after this win, but I have to see how things go.

“I hope that Stan is going to play, you know, next round or September or whatever it’s going to be to keep us in the World Group. Who knows? You never know if they can win it without us, as well. It’s an opportunity, but clearly we are not the favorites now playing against Belgium. But I’m sorry for the team because the team is pretty much intact from the staff and from captain and everybody. They are all some of my best friends, so that was the tougher part of it, less the tennis itself.”

The 33-year-old Federer made it clear he’s not retiring from Davis Cup.

The defending champion Federer is a 6-time Dubai winner. He won yesterday over Mikhail Youhzny and now awaits the Verdasco v Garcia-Lopez winner. He also played doubles today with Michael Lammer but lost today to Rojer/Tecau.