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Federer has yet to win an Olympic medal. Peter Klaunzer/AP/Press Association Images
Snub

Thanks, but no thanks: Hingis rejects Federer's Olympic offer

The Swiss tennis player described the move as “the smart decision to make”.

ROGER FEDERER HAS said a proposed dream Olympic match-up involving himself and Martina Hingis playing together as part of a mixed doubles team is unlikely to happen.

Federer has so far yet to win an Olympics singles title, and admits competing in London 2012 is a “once in a lifetime” opportunity.

However, Federer, who is one of only seven players to have won all four majors, was less upbeat on the prospect of teaming up with another legend of the game, Martina Hingis.

Speaking on the subject, Federer told Gazzetta dello Sport:

“I spoke with Martina on the phone and she said, ‘I don’t think we should do it, I would love to do it but you should concentrate on the singles and doubles. It would be crazy, I wouldn’t do it’. So I said, ‘OK, we don’t do it, we’re both very happy, you’re happy in retirement and I’m happy on court’. It was a good conversation, in a way I’m disappointed but it was the smart decision to make.”

He added that the “only partner I could imagine myself playing with was Martina because she’s been such an amazing player from such a young age”.

Federer was previously defeated in the quarter-finals by James Blake at the Beijing Olympics.

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