Roger Federer reveals the Real reason for Uniqlo switch as retirement plans laid bare

Roger Federer has explained exactly why he decided to ditch Nike for Uniqlo earlier this year. “[Uniqlo creative director] John Jay in New York, where I had an event there, said it very nicely: 'One day I will retire from tennis but I will not retire from life’,” said Federer. "Life will go on and Uniqlo and Mr [Tadashi] Yanai believed in me very strongly as being very important to their brand, even though maybe my playing days are going to come to an end at some point." Japanese tennis is currently enjoying a boom following the success of Naomi Osaka, who won the US Open last month. Federer is glad to see his fellow Uniqlo ambassador clinching the top honours. "I think winning Indian Wells helped her to believe that she could also win another big title,” added Federer. “I think she is a champion in the sense that she doesn’t shy away from the big stage. “Indian Wells is the second biggest tennis court we have in the world and the US Open is the biggest one. “She succeeded in both of them and that shows a winner's mentality."

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