Spotless, with a red polo shirt, anthracite trousers and headband, and a mask, as protocol mandates, Roger Federer went to the Philippe Chatrier in Paris to play his first Grand Slam match in a year and a half, 487 days after the last one at the 2020 Australian Open. The French public greeted him with a standing ovation and then enjoyed a practical and aesthetic version of the winner of 20 majors. He says that he does not see himself as a winner at Roland Garros, but although his rival in his debut, the Uzbek Denis Istomin (34 years and 204th in the world), does not serve to measure his true moment of form.The Swiss was seen to be fine, well physically, agile and with that innate elegance that you either have or you don't have.
To win 6-3, 6-4 and 6-3 in 83 minutes (the shortest duel so far for the men's team) the Genius of Basel played very directly (48 winners, eight direct serve), without fear of error and with an infinite class. In the second round, the Croatian Marin Cilic awaits him, who brings back good memories because he won his eighth title at Wimbledon against him. An opponent of greater caliber despite the fact that he is no longer who he was at that time.
Federer, the oldest player in the tournament at 39, increasingly closer to 40, has only played five games this year and had just lost against Spanish giant-killer Pablo Andújar., who on Sunday got off the fourth seed of the tournament, Dominic Thiem. Istomin, who had to play the previous one, could not or did not know how to take advantage of this apparently vulnerable phase of the Helvetian and lost again against him. Truth be told, Roger gave her very few options.
“I was better than in other games”
“I'm good at playing against Denis,” acknowledged the winner. And so much, his favorable balance is now a blunt 8-0. “It is a pleasure to be back, it has cost me a little time, a lot of rehabilitation, but it is a pleasure to return to Paris and see you again,” he said, addressing the audience, the Swiss, who was happy. “I was better than in other games, I was able to maintain the good game, vary to avoid his dominance from the bottom,” he added, still on the court., where shortly before he had gifted the spectators with some exalted blows.
In addition, it was hardly worn. In addition, he hardly wore out and took advantage of the breaks offered to players from time to time by pandemic tennis and its protocols., including collecting their own towels: “It may seem silly, but it's true. Sometimes you just need to take a little time to breathe, walk to the towel … In Geneva (when he lost to Andújar) I hardly took those extra seconds in which I normally rest in this way ”.
Being a great tournament, in Paris he has days off between rounds, another aspect that benefits him Although his mind is still fixed on London: “After almost a year of recovery, I am confident that Wimbledon will be the moment when I rediscover the ability to play well against the best. I don't know if I'm going to get it here … “. That will have to be seen.
Results, table and calendar.