After almost 970 weeks in the world’s Top Ten, Roger Federer will be out of the world’s top ten next Monday. Last August, the Swiss tennis player became the second forty-year-old in history after Ken Rosewall to be present in the Top Ten, but now his farewell has been decided.
In his place will be the Polish tennis player Hubert Hurkacz, author of an excellent season, winner of the Masters 1000 in Miami and the last player to face Roger, winning the Wimbledon quarterfinals in three sets. That was the last official match played by the twenty-time Grand Slam winner.
Thanks to the 2019 points, last year’s Australian Open and the quarters reached in the last Wimbledon Roger has remained in the Top Ten but it must be said that the frozen ranking has clearly favored both rankings.
They have been two very difficult years for the Swiss, the continuous physical problems and the pandemic have blocked the last phase of his career and the tennis player has undergone three knee surgeries. Two last year and one recently.
Federer returned in March after a thirteen month absence and challenged Australian Daniel Evans at the Doha tournament; After the first victory, the Swiss was left out in the quarter-finals after squandering a match point against Nikoloz Basilashvili.
The debate about who is the GOAT is always present both among tennis players and among fans and new statements emerge every day. Novak Djokovic’s 2021 has brought new fans to the Serbian’s side, but there are still plenty who hang on to the Swiss champion’s side.
Tommy Haas on Roger Federer
Tommy Haas believes that while Roger Federer is satisfied with the career he has had thus far, the Swiss still has a burning desire to return to tour and retire on his own terms.
“We saw at Wimbledon that he was a bit injured, he wasn’t moving as well as usual,” Tommy Haas said in an interview with L’Equipe. But he’s going to do everything he can to get back. I’m 100% sure the goal is Wimbledon.
It is his best surface to go far again. The German noted that the Swiss is still “hungry” for success and wants the luxury of finishing his illustrious career on his own terms. ” He’s happy, ”Haas added.
“You have no reason not to be. He knows it, there is a lot of gratitude in him. Love life. But he is still hungry. He still hopes to be able to return. He wants to stop when he wants to, decide when it is time to say that you no longer like it (because) you lose too much ”.
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