Roger Federer returns to operate and says goodbye to the season

Roger Federer will not play until 2021. And the August 8 will be 39 years old. Time is running fast against the Swiss, who hasn't won a Grand Slam since January 2018 in Australia. In February he decided to undergo arthroscopy in his right knee. and his recovery is not progressing, so he has undergone another operation, as confirmed today on his social networks.

“A few weeks ago, I suffered a setback during my initial rehab and I had to undergo a quick additional arthroscopy on my right knee. Just like I did before the 2017 season, I have planned to take the time to be 100% prepared and play at the highest level. I will miss the fans and the circuit but I look forward to seeing you all when I return at the start of the 2021 season, “said the Swiss.

Federer suffered discomfort at the Australian Open, where he fell in the semifinals against Novak Djokovic, and after an exhibition with Rafa Nadal in South Africa, chose to go through the operating room. His goal was return to the grass and try to achieve their 21st Grand Slam in the All England. Nadal could have equaled 20 in a Roland Garros that has passed to September, the Serbian is still on the hunt with 17 and Wimbledon was suspended. “Devastated,” the Helvetian then tweeted, he had his big goal on the pitch, along with the Tokyo Games (he has not been an individual Olympic champion). Everything was cut off by the pandemic and now by his injury.

In a chat with Guga Kuerten on May 23, Federer already warned that he was not training, among other things for not finding a motivation with the circuit stopped, lacking a goal. Then his coach Severin Luthi admitted that his recovery was not going well. If the circuit starts and the US Open and Roland Garros end up playing, He leaves the door open for Nadal (he turned 34 a few days ago) so that he can overcome him. And Djokovic (33) to close the gap with both of them. At stake is the consideration of 'Best tennis player in history'.

Federer already had an intervention in the other knee in 2016, which forced him to cut the campaign after Wimbledon. His 'big' account had stopped on the same stage in 2012. But it scared away the voices that predicted its decline. In 2017 he won Australia and Wimbledon and in 2018 he repeated in Melbourne. And he kept fighting. Last year he painfully lost the title in the All England after 4h: 55 against a Djokovic who lifted two match balls. Now, the challenge will be to be just as competitive again in 2021, on the road to 40 years.