’35 is the New 30′ – Kevin Anderson

South African tennis player Kevin Anderson stunned many when he reach the Wimbledon final. As an added bonus, he also has a best-ever world ranking of No 5. Now, Anderson has said that he has no plans to retire.

The 32-year-old made waves at Wimbledon when he beat eight-time champion Roger Federer in the quarter-finals. His fame only grew in the semifinals after a record six-hour, 36 minute win over John Isner.

Sadly, his good fortune ended there as he lost in straight sets in the final to Novak Djokovic. Anderson slumped to his second loss in a major final. He had also lost in straight sets in last year’s US Open final to Spain’s Rafael Nadal.

Many would assume that Anderson’s hopes of winning a Grand Slam in future are all but gone. However, the South African does not seem to think so.

“For the first time in the Open era, all four men’s singles semi-finalists at Wimbledon were over 30 years of age. Potentially we are getting better with age. There are a lot of men playing great tennis well into their thirties. The whole dynamic has definitely changed,” Anderson said.

“A decade ago, players reaching the age of 30 were sort of coming to the end of their professional careers. The perspective has completely changed and you could say that 35 is the new 30. Federer is 36 and is playing his best tennis, and there is no reason I can’t still play my best tennis for years to come.”

But to remain competitive at his age, he stressed on staying fit for the next few years.

“Having the right outlook is important – people say that at this level (of professional competition) it’s mostly mental – but you have to take care of your body as well. It’s most important, especially as you get older. The work I do with my physiotherapist has been instrumental in keeping me healthy and it’s a big reason why I’m able to continue to improve my game. Which is why moving forward, my primary focus is on putting my body first, as I would like to stay fit and healthy.”