Rainer Schuettler is hoping to roll back the years ahead of his Wimbledon quarter-final with Arnaud Clement.
Ageing stars prepare to battle
Rainer Schuettler is hoping to roll back the years ahead of his Wimbledon quarter-final with fellow veteran Arnaud Clement.
The 32-year-old is the oldest player remaining in the draw and admits he's recently considered retirement due to a number of injury problems - but has fought on for one crucial reason.
"Because I'm healthy," he said. "Because I enjoy playing tennis. Because I work hard.
"I had a lot of injuries but now for a couple of months I am fit again. At some point I knew that I have to play good again.
"I've never been in the last eight here before. I said after the third round I'm so happy I don't have to go to Cordoba to play a Challenger tournament, because that was my schedule this week actually.
"Now I'm very happy to be in the last-eight club, because for me at least it would be nice at some point in my life to come back and have the opportunity to go in the players' lounge at the All England Club and see the young players and to watch how they play."
Schuettler, ranked 94 in the world, faces Clement, who at 30 years-old is the second oldest player remaining.
The Frenchman, ranked 145th in the world, admits he did not expect to go this far.
"I was not confident the last couple of months, it was a very difficult period for me," said Clement, who had won back-to-back matches just once all year before arriving in SW19.
"Now it's totally different. I'm back with a very good level and enjoying playing on the court a lot.
"It's very special because I only won three matches before coming here, and I won four in the same tournament, in a Grand Slam, in Wimbledon."
