ATP Chairman reflects on Roger Federer's decision to skip inaugural ATP Cup

• Tennis News
• Roger Federer

ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi claimed there were no hard feelings toward Roger Federer when the Swiss announced that he would skip the inaugural ATP Cup. Switzerland would have been one of the main favorites to win the ATP Cup had Federer and three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka decided to play.

Federer, 38, wanted to start the season at the ATP Cup but he decided that he wanted to stay more at home with his family and Wawrinka's decision to pull out of the event was also a factor. "I talked to Roger before I got elected, and I told him: Roger, I retired 17 years ago, and I don’t know you can move like you do, I’ve been watching your matches on TV and I have absolutely no clue as to what your secret is.

I was done at 30, both mentally and psychologically," Gaudenzi told a group of Italian journalists, per Ubitennis. "To be playing at that level, at that age, that’s just for otherworldly talents like him, so I really can’t complain if he decides to skip a tournament.

I prefer to look at the bright side, and to be thankful for the fact that he still does play. He could have retired a while ago, and instead is still playing, I was a pro and I can tell you it’s not easy. "True, we’d like to watch him every single week, but that’s impossible, so let’s rejoice for the fact that he’s still playing, let’s thank him for what he gives us, wherever he plays, whenever he feels like wanting to play."