Roger Federer hopes for a better season in 2014

Roger Federer. Can he get back to winning ways in 2014?

An unsatisfactory year concluded with another loss for Roger Federer. However, after some spectacular displays late in the season, the former top-ranked ATP player has reason to believe he will be a contender again next year.

The 32-year-old Federer lost in straight sets to rival Rafael Nadal in the semifinals of the ATP World Tour Finals on Sunday, ending a season during which he dropped down to No. 7 in the rankings and lost in the second round of Wimbledon and the fourth round at the US Open.

But despite a poor run, he managed to qualify for the season-ending ATP World Tour finals for a record 12th straight year after a string of excellent results over the past few months that, in his opinion, portend well for 2014.

“I think something is possible for next year,” Federer said after his 7-5, 6-3 defeat to Nadal in the ATP World Tour semifinal. “I think it was a stronger finish than I thought it was going to be in Basel, Paris and London. I’m more positive now looking ahead than I would have been a few months ago, when I wasn’t quite sure what to expect after the US Open.”

The 17-time Grand Slam winner insisted he has reached a place in his career where his ranking is secondary, as long as he still feels capable of winning massive matches and big tournaments.

“It’s important to stay within a certain ranking,” Federer said in a post match press conference. “But after that I need to make sure I stay competitive, I can hang with the best, and particularly beat the best.”

That has infrequently been the case this year, with Federer claiming a mere four wins over top-10 opponents — beating Juan Martin del Potro twice, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet — and frequently losing to various unseeded players. The only title he won this year came at a grasscourt tournament in Germany in June.

But the Swiss star is confident by the very fact that his body responded well to his run over the last three weeks and he looks convinced he will take fewer breaks next year. Federer was vague regarding the tournaments he intends to play in 2014, saying his schedule will be double-geared toward peaking at the four majors.

“Clearly Grand Slams are going to be part of my highlights, (I’m) hoping to sort of make sure I play my best there with some selective other events that I consider important to me, some of the Masters 1000s,” he said. “Then hopefully I have something left for the World Tour Finals at the end of next year because that’s clearly a goal,” aforementioned the Swiss master.

Tennis is still a part of Federer’s DNA and he pushed aside speculation that he may well be tempted by retirement. He has antecedently stated the 2016 Olympic Games could be a doable goal.