First training videos, comeback on Wednesday: How fit is Roger Federer?
Roger Federer starts his eagerly awaited comeback on Wednesday. But how fit is the Swiss?
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Mar 08, 2021, 01:42 pm
The meeting point sounds full, as if Roger Federer had done nothing other than playing tennis in the past few months. But that was of course not the case, although the training videos from Doha show an extremely fit, lively Federer.
He hadn't played tennis for months in the past year after his second knee operation, which had thrown him back badly, he said in a press conference before the start of the tournament . Why did the knee cause problems after the original operation? He did not know himself, nor did he have the feeling that he was pushing too hard.
"When I had to walk on crutches for another two weeks after the second operation, there weren't many muscles left. Shortly before the first operation I had the five-set in Australia, I went into this operation as a top athlete. The second operation was it was different. It was terrifying to see how quickly you lose everything if you don't move, "said the 39-year-old.
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Federer: "Pain completely under control"
He was "already in the deep" afterwards, could not believe that the operation was necessary. The goal: to get well, "also for my private life." I didn't want to have to stop with the Australian Open and the match in Africa, I wanted to be able to decide myself. "
Current: But don't ask this question, there will be time for an analysis in autumn at the earliest. For Doha? He's already happy if he can pull off several games, "the expectations are very low". The pain is completely under control, further assured Federer, the biggest challenge, however, is "to fully trust the body again", in the match there is no time to think. And the opponent: "also feels when you are not at 100 percent."
Currently he can play two and a half hours for five days at a time, Federer continued. "But matches are different. When you get nervous, you have to fend off breakballs."
If in doubt, Federer has to do that on Wednesday, then things will get serious. His opponent: the winner of the game between Dan Evans and Jeremy Chardy.
Click here for the single draw in Doha