'To come here and win again in my hometown never knowing if this might be your last time that you had the opportunity to play a finals and maybe win for the last time here in my city, it obviously means a lot to me and becomes emotional always at the very end,' Roger Federer said
Basel: Swiss tennis great Roger Federer has hinted at retirement after winning his 99th singles title on Sunday in his hometown Basel.
The 37-year-old Federer defeated Maruis Copil of Romania 7-6, 6-4 to win the Swiss Indoors title.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion now has 99 singles titles and is 10 away from equaling the all-time record of 109 held by Jimmy Connors.
After winning the title in Basel, Federer became emotional and was in tears.
"It’s very difficult for me to explain how it feels like," Federer told ATP World Tour's website after his win.
"Just walking out for Basel finals was always my dream, already just playing on centre court was a thrill. Twenty one years ago for the qualifiers, when you sit there and the trophy ceremony is starting and the ball kids walk out — I remember being in their shoes and me walking out," he added.
The world number three admitted that this could be his last time playing in Basel. Since 2006, he has missed only one Swiss Indoors tournament in Basel out of 13 and that was due to injury in 2016.
He said, "I did it for two years and then I gave them all a medal and thanked them for their efforts and I felt like I was looking at myself in some ways when Wayne Ferreira and other great players gave me my first medal here in Basel.
"To come here and win again in my home town never knowing if this might be your last time that you had the opportunity to play a final and maybe win for the last time here in my city, it obviously means a lot to me and (I) become emotional always at the very end."
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