Fans are increasingly impatient to see Roger Federer back on court. The former world number 1 will be one of the stars of the Laver Cup, which will be held at the O2 Arena in London from September 23 to 25. The Swiss star has not stepped on the court since Wimbledon 2021, after undergoing a third operation on his right knee.
Despite his lengthy rehabilitation, the 41-year-old from Basel has never considered retiring. The 20-time Slam champion has been through a real ordeal in the last two seasons. Suffice it to say that the Helvetian has played just 13 official matches in 2021, with nine wins and four losses.
A round of 16 at Roland Garros and a quarter-final at Wimbledon were his best results of last season, too slim a prize for a legend of his caliber. The Master will end his very brief season at the Basel ATP, which returns to the calendar after the cancellation of the last two editions due to the pandemic.
In addition to winning all the possible awards, Federer has always been highly appreciated by other tennis players for his kindness. In a lengthy interview for the ATP website, Sam Querrey – who had just retired from tennis – recounted his first meeting with Roger during the 2007 Australian Open.
“I remember it like it was yesterday. Roger Federer and I met in the hotel elevator and he welcomed me to the tour,” Sam recalled. “He congratulated me and told me it was a pleasure to see me there. It was a very nice gesture on his part”, he added.
Federer and Querrey have met four times in the major circuit, with a 4-0 record in favor of the Swiss. On ESPN’s microphones, John McEnroe gave his opinion on the Roger’s comeback: “Even if he is 41 years old and hasn’t played for a long time, the pressure on his shoulders will still be huge.
From what I have heard, he is also planning to play in 2023. He has earned the right to do whatever he wants.”
Federer will play the Laver Cup
It is the longest running and most heated debate in tennis and now the Bryan brothers have given us their verdict on who will be remembered as the greatest player of all-time.
“For me it has to be Roger Federer,” Mike told Tennis365. “Those few years when he was dominating, he barely lost any matches. The way he does is it always so smooth. He doesn’t sweat, he just like a zen master.
He is also the most relaxed in the locker room. Before a Wimbledon final, he laughing in the dressing room like it’s a Sunday afternoon in the park. When it’s all said and done, who knows who will have all the records, but I will always have a special place in my heart for Roger”.
