Did Roger Federer accidentally let some future plans slip in his championship speech after winning the Australian Open on Sunday? Tournament organizers and tennis fans would prefer not to read anything into it.
"I hope to see you all next year," he told the crowd as he cradled the Norman Brookes Memorial Cup, his first Grand Slam trophy in four-and-a-half years. "If not, this was a wonderful run."
Hold up: If not?
True, Federer will be 36 by the time the 2018 Aussie Open kicks off, and he has four children to raise. But he also just ignited the sports world and proved he has plenty of juice left in his legs, and magic left in his racket.
"If not" isn't really something we're prepared to think about just yet.