Roger Federer still considers a "real" Grand Slam to be possible
Roger Federer is currently in rehabilitation efforts in Switzerland. Nevertheless, the maestro closely followed the events in New York.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Sep 21, 2021, 07:14 am
The Laver Cup is coming up on the weekend and therefore one of the highlights for Roger Federer - under normal circumstances. After all, the 20-time major champion, together with Tony Godsick, is involved in both the invention and the hosting of the team competition in honor of the Australian tennis legend Rod Laver.
Incidentally, he remains the last professional among the men to make the Grand Slam: In 1969 "The Rocket" won all four majors in just one calendar year. And so he wasn't the big congratulator at the men's singles at the US Open - Laver would have handed Novak Djokovic the trophy here if he had won and thus in turn brought the Grand Slam.
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Roger Federer on Djokovic: season was "extraordinary"
Daniil Medvedev and Djokovic's Nerves were known to have something against it. But seeing Rod Laver in New York was "very nice," said Federer at a sponsorship meeting in Switzerland to promote the Laver Cup. Federer still considers it possible that someone could actually succeed in winning all four Grand Slam tournaments. "I think it's possible that this will happen again," he said. "We saw that with Novak, with and Rafa, we were very close." But you also need a bit of luck, perseverance, strength - everything. "That's why it's so hard. But it is possible." What Djokovic achieved this year "was of course extraordinary."
Federer and Nadal had already won three Grand Slam tournaments in one year: Federer in 2004, 2006 and 2007, where he lost at the French Open (once to Gustavo Kuerten, twice to Rafael Nadal); Nadal in 2010 (where he had to give up against Andy Murray at the Australian Open). The difference to Djokovic in 2021: Djokovic actually won the first three Grand Slam tournaments of the year. He had already won three majors in 2011 and 2015, but not the first three of the year.
Federer himself is currently still incapacitated, the right knee had to go under the knife for the third time in a year and a half. He has "the worst behind him," said Federer . He wanted to get back to fitness training and the tennis court "as soon as possible."