Shortly after the end of the US Open, there will be the Laver Cup. The O2 Arena in London will therefore host the return of Roger Federer, who has not played an official match since Wimbledon 2021. The last two seasons have been a real ordeal for the Swiss champion , who was unable to play as and as much as he would have liked due to a right knee injury.
Suffice it to say that the former ATP number 1 played just 13 official matches in 2021, collecting nine wins and four losses. A few weeks after the 2021 Championships, the 20-time Grand Slam champion announced that he will have to operate for the third time in 18 months.
After the highly anticipated return to the Laver Cup, the King will close his very short season at the ATP in Basel. According to his statements, the 41-year-old from Basel is expected to play a few tournaments again in 2023.
In the course of a lengthy interview with ‘CLAY’, former ATP number 5 Fernando Gonzalez analyzed Federer’s prospects in detail.
Gonzalez on King Roger
The former Chilean player with the crazy forehand is not just anyone.
5th in the world in 2007, he won 11 titles on the circuit and was a finalist at the Australian Open the same year. Asked by our colleagues from Clay, Fernando of course mentioned the future return of Roger Federer to the courts, a player he knows very well for having faced him 13 times, for only one small victory.
“I’m sure he’ll want to say goodbye at some point, but if he comes back I think he’ll be looking for something important. I don’t know how he will be for a match in five sets, but to play three, I’m sure he still has the potential to get there.
Roger knows his body very well, more than any young tennis player. The problem with a physical concern is particularly noticeable on the restart, when it is time to chain matches. I don’t know if he will win a Grand Slam again, but in three-set tournaments I think he can do something interesting.”
Former player Guillermo Perez has hailed Roger Federer as a generational player, calling him the “greatest champion of all time.” “There is no discussion, Federer,” Perez said. “But… each one (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic) is the greatest champion of all time.
They endured four generations. (Bjorn) Borg endured a generation; (Pete) Sampras beat the old one and beat a new one. These guys beat four generations! They are going to go to the field with the cane, and they are going to continue beating them. They are bosses.”
