Sunday 15th August 2021
“I’m out for many months”
Federer suffers the next setback
He knows what that means at his age: Tennis star Roger Federer has to undergo surgery on his right knee for the third time and will probably not return to the ATP tour this year. But the 20-time Grand Slam champion wants to fight for his return.
Roger Federer spoke in a calm voice, but his words had it all. “I’ll need crutches for many weeks and I’ll be out for many months,” said the tennis star in an Instagram video and announced the next break a week after his 40th birthday. Federer has to undergo surgery on his right knee for the third time.
Most recently, the 20-time Grand Slam champion had already canceled his participation in the ATP Masters in Toronto and Cincinnati, the start at the US Open (from August 30) was in the stars. It is now certain that Federer will not be there in New York either. And it is more than unlikely that it will ever happen again this season.
“I would like to give you an update on what has happened since Wimbledon,” said Federer to his fans, “I have done a lot of medical checks, including my knee. Unfortunately, they told me that I had to have an operation. I will do it.”
End of career not an issue at first
Federer, who had already waived the Olympic Games in Tokyo because of the persistent problems, wants to fight. The end of a career is still not an issue. “I hope to return to the tour. But I am realistic,” said Federer, “I know how difficult it is to undergo another operation at this age.”
The maestro had already had two operations on his problem knee in the previous year. Now he comes under the knife again, there was no alternative. The intervention is “the right thing because I want to be healthy and because I want to be able to walk around later,” said Federer. In the late autumn of your career, your thoughts apply to the time afterwards.
Federer had withdrawn from the French Open in June after reaching the round of 16 in order to spare himself for the grass highlight Wimbledon. At the prestigious tournament in London, he failed a good four weeks ago in the quarter-finals, and since then, restraint has been the order of the day. Now the time-out is getting longer.
“I appreciate that”
It was only in March that the long-standing number one in the world returned from a forced break of over a year. The doubts as to whether it can continue are growing. “How do I feel if I started training again? What can I achieve?” Federer asked himself recently, even before the decision for the operation was made. The situation is not getting any easier – on the contrary.
“I always see the good in every situation. If it is not good, I know it will get better and it could be much worse,” Federer said last to the look. And on Sunday too, he looked ahead. “I’m fine,” he assured his fans and thanked them in advance for the expected recovery wishes. “You want to see me smile, I appreciate that.”
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