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Will Roger Federer return to play another Grand Slam? This is one of the questions that all the tennis lovers have been asking ever since the Swiss got knocked out of Wimbledon 2021 in the quarter-finals. Post that, the 40-year-old underwent another knee surgery (his third one since last year) and has been out of action ever since.
There have been lot of speculations over Federer's return on the tennis court with many believing that the glorious chapter might be coming towards an end considering his knee issues. But amid all this, Federer had preferred to stay quiet until he finally broke his silence in a recent interview. The 20-time Grand Slam champion talked openly about his current state of fitness and revealed his plans for the coming months.
Federer pulls out of upcoming Australian Open
Reflecting on when he could return on court, the Swiss admitted that taking part in Australian Open 2022 won't be possible for him. "Australia is not an option at all. But that's no surprise for me. Even before the operation, we knew that a break of many months would be necessary afterwards," Federer said.
He added that he will be able to resume running quietly in January and resume sessions on the court with complex support in March or April. Presumably ruling out the alternative of retirement as of now, the tennis legend revealed that he estimates to return to competition in the summer of 2022. This would mean that there will be doubts over Federer's availability for Wimbledon 2022 as well.
It is my ultimate dream to return once again: Federer
The 40-year-old accepted the fact that he had the operation done so that he could ski with his children or play football or tennis in the future. He said, "My primary motivation was to get back in shape for my normal life. But I wanted to approach this rehabilitation with the mentality and body of a top athlete."
"My world will not collapse if I never play in another Grand Slam final. But it is my ultimate dream to return once again. And in fact, I still believe in it. I believe in these kinds of miracles. I have already experienced them," Federer concluded.