Roger Federer is “very excited” about teaming up with Martina Hingis to represent Switzerland in mixed doubles at the Rio 2016 Olympics next summer, the world No3 told reporters on Friday in Dubai.
Speaking ahead of the Dubai leg of the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) after wrapping up a practice session in Madinat Jumeirah, before hopping on a plane to New Delhi, Federer confirmed that the highly-anticipated pairing is going to happen.
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Hingis, the current world No2 in the WTA doubles rankings, had sought out Federer to be her mixed doubles partner for Rio last spring and it was only on Friday that the 17-time major champion confirmed that he has accepted her offer.
“Yes, I will play with Martina the mixed,” said Federer, who will feature for the UAE Royals in New Delhi against Rafael Nadal on Saturday in the IPTL.
“I’m very excited about that because I haven’t played with her I guess in 15 years.
“I looked up to her when I was younger, I thought she was the most unbelievable talent. She’s almost my age and she was winning grand slams while I was still at the national tennis centre, trying to make it on the tour and I couldn’t believe how good she was. I’m very excited about that.”
Federer, 34, and Hingis, 35, last played mixed doubles together in the Hopman Cup back in 2001 (they won it that year).
Rollback the years with @mhingis. Really excited to be playing mixed doubles with you 15yrs later at the Rio games pic.twitter.com/IgOGEPLleu
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) December 11, 2015
He has won two Olympic medals, a gold in doubles alongside Stan Wawrinka in Beijing 2008 and silver in singles in London 2012.
Asked where he ranks Olympic gold in Rio on his priority list for next season, Federer said: “I’ve always said the Olympics is very important to me.
“Every Olympic (Games) has been super… amazing experience, an eye-opener, a great learning curve for me, seeing other athletes, getting inspired and motivated, carrying the flag is such a proud moment in my career and my life as a person, to have done that twice for Switzerland was incredible in Athens and in Beijing.
“Winning the gold with Stan, meeting [my wife] Mirka in Sydney 2000, getting the silver in London, it felt like I won gold, but I was still very happy and it was incredible the combination to win the Olympics at Wimbledon, it was just… maybe never happen again in my lifetime, so I really cherish that moment.
“So Rio obviously is important. What’s more important? I really have a hard time putting one, two, three and four, what’s the main priority for me next year? I go in sections I guess. First I’ll focus on the first three months of the season all the way through Indian Wells and then we’ll look at the rest and so forth. But of course I’m thinking about it.”
