After the news of not participating in the Australian Open, the tennis world is already wondering when and where Roger Federer will return to the field. The Swiss had repeatedly expressed his reservations about his participation in the first Grand Slam of the year, as he had just returned from a double knee surgery and had yet to fully recover.
Federer continues his training and the condition of his knee is improving week by week. However, the Swiss did not feel ready to enter the field at the start of the year, so he preferred to wait a little longer and postpone his return.
It should be remembered that Federer hasn't played exactly since the 2020 Australian Open semi-final, when he lost to Novak Djokovic. But when will Federer return to the pitch? It is difficult to establish a date with the Swiss champion, but the feeling is that the native of Basel can return to the American hard court (Masters 1000 in Miami and Indian Wells if they are played) or to the tournaments in Europe always indoor scheduled after the Australian Open (February 8-21).
Roger Federer has withdrawn from the 2021 Australian Open
"Roger Federer has decided not to play the 2021 Australian Open," Tony Godsick said in a statement released to the AP. "He has made strong progress in the last couple of months with his knee and his fitness.
However, after consultation with his team, he decided that the best decision for him in the long run is to return to competitive tennis after the Australian Open. I will start discussions this coming week for tournaments that begin in late February and then start to build a schedule for the rest of the year," Godsick added.
The thought of expecting this news did occur when Federer revealed that he yet doesn’t feel 100% last week. Tournament Director, Craig Tiley confirmed the news and stated, “In the end, Roger ran out of time to get ready for the rigors of a Grand Slam and he’s very disappointed he won’t be coming to Melbourne in 2021”.
Over the years, Federer has enjoyed tremendous success at the venue. The first time he ever won at the Open was as a 22-year-old young man and he won his last Australian Open as a 36-year-old. When he made his return to the tour, under similar circumstances as he currently faces, the Swiss had made one of the greatest comebacks in sports. He won 2 majors that season.
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