Roger Federer to decide soon on Tokyo Olympic plans

Roger Federer of Switzerland walks off the court after losing to Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in their Men’s Singles Quarter-finals tennis match during the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 3, 2019. (Photo by DOMINICK REUTER / AFP)

GENEVA — Roger Federer plans to decide “in the next month or so” whether he will play at next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Federer said Tuesday his 2020 schedule is set through Wimbledon, which ends July 12. The week-long Olympic tournament starts July 25 and ends a few days before his 39th birthday.

“I guess I’m going to be deciding on the Olympic Games in the next few weeks, hopefully in the next month or so,” he said.

Speaking ahead of the Laver Cup team competition he co-owns, Federer said he is “very excited about the prospect” of Tokyo.

“I just have to see how is the family, how is my body doing,” Federer said in an interview broadcast by Swiss public television.

Federer is a four-time Olympian. He met his wife at the 2000 Sydney Games and twice carried Switzerland’s flag at opening ceremonies.

“It’s been such a special event for me,” he said.

Federer won doubles gold with Stan Wawrinka at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and silver in singles at the 2012 London Games, played at Wimbledon. He missed the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics because of injury.

To play in Tokyo, Federer would likely have to get a wild-card exemption from the International Tennis Federation. He has not played the required amount of Davis Cup games to be eligible by right.