Swiss maestro Roger Federer has put to rest any talk of imminent retirement and insists he is focused on regaining his No.1 position in the New Year.

Winner of a record 16 Grands Slam titles, Federer is widely regarded as the best player to have picked up a racket and has expressed his excitement at coming to Abu Dhabi at the end of the year as he participates in the eagerly-anticipated Mubadala World Tennis Championship in the UAE capital.
“I’ll be playing in Abu Dhabi for the third straight time and I’m definitely excited about it,"" the 29-year-old told Radio 2’s 'Sport on 2' programme earlier this evening.
“Abu Dhabi is a great place, it is a wonderful tournament and the field is great and strong too.”
Federer is aware that much will be expected of him as the masses seek a showdown between the current World No.2 and his long time nemesis Rafael Nadal, who he beat at the recent ATP World Tours Final in London.
“It’s always special, between me and Rafa, irrespective of the venue,"" said Federer. “Yes, I hope it happens; it could happen as Rafa and I are on the opposite sides of the draw and it will be good for the fans. But there is strong field in Abu Dhabi and anything could happen.
The Basle-native is looking forward to bringing in the new year in the UAE and hopes one day to be going toe-to-toe on court with a player from the region.
“It’s a wonderful atmosphere in Abu Dhabi. I really like being here and it would be wonderful to one day see a champion emerge from here.”
Despite suffering a dip in form in 2010 which saw him relinquish his No.1 spot in the world rankings after an astonishing 285 weeks atop of the men's game, Federer insists it was still a fulfilling season.
“I won at the Australian Open and then things did not go too well thereafter. But then I won the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London. That was good.”
And he insists the hardwork has already began as he looks to get himself into peak condition ahead of another gruelling year on tour in 2011, which of course starts in Abu Dhabi in little under two weeks.
But before that, Federer travels to Zurich where he will play his 'friend' Rafael Nadal for charity - the Match for Africa finals.
On persistent talk that he might be past his prime at the ripe old age of 29, Federer insists: “I have no intention to stop. After you have enjoyed so much success and then you lose some, people tend to put a clock to your future.
“When you lose a lot of people make a lot of drama about it. You must understand that there are a lot of talented young players out there."" On his rivalry with current World No.1 Nadal, Federer siad the two of them were fierce competitors on-court, but were good friends off it.
Federer plays Nadal in Zurich on December 21 and thereafter flies back to Dubai where he will spend Christmas with family and friends “because it is a great place, it is a quiet place.”
The Mubadala World Tennis Championship takes place from December 30-January 1, 2011 with Tomas Berdych due to take on Marcos Baghdatis for the right to meet Nadal in the semi-finals while Robin Soderling will battle it out with Jo Wilfried Tsonga to meet Federer in the other last four clash. (Source: Sport360)