Swiss tennis player Roger Federer has confirmed that he will not appear at the January Australian Open.
“The truth is, I’d be hugely surprised to play at Wimbledon,” said the former first player in the world to look forward to participating in his most popular tournament, winning a record eight titles. “Australia is out of the question. But that’s no surprise. I knew before the operation that it would take a break of several months,” he added.
Federer has undergone his third right knee surgery since 2020, this time due to meniscus problems. The procedure also affected the cartilage. “The combination of these interventions simply requires patience and caution. The next few months will be crucial,” he said.
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He now expects to return to running in January, and to get to the courts in March or April. Exactly when he returns to the ATP circuit is still open and Federer does not intend to put pressure on himself.
“Taken that way, it doesn’t make much difference whether I return in 2022 or 2023, forty or forty-one. It doesn’t matter,” he said. “My world will not collapse if I never play the grand slam final again. But my last dream is for me to come back once again. And I believe that miracle will happen,” he added.
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This year, Federer played only 13 matches after returning from previous operations. He last appeared in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, where he lost to Hubert Hurkacz.
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