Roger Federer did not return to the ATP Tour and after almost two years on clay. The 39-year-old Swiss tennis player lost in his opening duel at the tournament in Geneva in the second round to the Spaniard Pablo Andújar 4: 6, 6: 4, 4: 6.
Former world number one Federer did not complete the third match of the season after last year’s knee surgery. He played two matches in Doha in March, now only one at home.
Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Federer first appeared on clay from Roland Garros in 2019. After losing the first set, the world’s eighth player seemed to have taken a turn. He also got a break in the third set and led 4: 2, but then the 35-year-old Andújar started to take more risks and gained the next four games.
Currently, the 75th man in the world rankings defeated the legend of world tennis in the first mutual match in 1:54 hours. At the same time, he ended Federer’s series of 32 victories at home.
“It’s nice to be on the court again. But then you lose such a match and you’re disappointed,” said Federer, who served as the most committed player. “There were moments when I entertained the spectators well. But overall, I expected more from myself. I feel that I played better in training,” the famous Swiss added after the match in front of the allowed hundred spectators.
Federer announced before the match that he did not have high expectations of clay. He takes the tournament in Geneva and the subsequent Roland Garros mainly as a start before the grassy part of the season with the peak at Wimbledon, which is his main goal.
Swiss fans were delighted today at least by Federer’s possible successor, Dominic Stricker. Eighteen-year-old talent defeated former US Open winner Marina Cilic from Croatia 7: 6, 6: 1 on his ATP Tour debut.
Men’s tennis tournament in Geneva (clay, subsidy 481,270 euros):
Singles – Round 1:
Fognini (6-It.) – Pella (ARG) 6: 2, 6: 2, Stricker (Switzerland) – Čilič (Croatia) 7: 6 (7: 5), 6: 1, F. López (Šp. .) – Altmaier (DEU) 7: 6 (8: 6), 6: 4, Cecchinato – Travaglia (both It.) 6: 3, 3: 0 retired, Fucsovics (Hungary) – Laaksonen (Switzerland) 7 : 5, 7: 5, Ivaška (Běl.) – Verdasco (Šp.) 7: 6 (7: 5), 6: 4, Cuevas (Urug.) – Opelka (USA) 7: 6 (7: 5), 6: 2, Djere (SRB) – Monteiro (BRA) 6: 7 (7: 9), 6: 3, 7: 5.
Round 2:
Andújar (Šp.) – Federer (1-Šv.) 6: 4, 4: 6, 6: 4.
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