Roger Federer hopes to play 2016 Rio Games

Sao Paulo: Tennis great Roger Federer is looking at reducing his playing schedule in a bid to extend his career till the 2016 Rio Olympics. The 17-time grand slam winner will be 35 at the next Games, but said the lure of competing at the first Olympics in South America could prove too difficult to resist.

"I have to make sure that I take care of my schedule, my body, my mind. Hopefully I can still stay on tour for many more years and hopefully play the Olympics here in three and a half years or so, so I have to look far ahead and not just the next six months. There is a lot of passion for sports here. It's a hot place to play tennis right now," the Swiss World No.2 was quoted as saying by Xinhua Thursday.

Federer is in Sao Paulo for an exhibition tournament also involving Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka, Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Tommy Robredo, Tommy Haas and Thomaz Bellucci. The 17-time Grand Slam winner has competed in four Olympics, winning doubles gold in 2008 and singles silver this year.

Federer has competed in four Olympics for a doubles gold in 2008 and singles silver this year.

Federer, who played 21 tournaments in 2012 - more than any of his top four rivals - said quality rather than quantity would be the key to his future playing schedule.

"I'm not going to play 25 tournaments, but every tournament that I will be playing I'll be emotionally attached to it, because I either won there before or because I've been there many times or because I love the city or the country and the fans. I've reached a point in my life that I can pick and choose where I want to play and how much I want to play," he said.

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