Roger Federer wants to play tennis again next week
Roger Federer wants to celebrate his return to the training court in the coming week - and take it easy.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Sep 13, 2020, 08:55 am
The tennis tour has gotten back on track in New York in recent weeks, but one prominent name in particular has been missing: that of Roger Federer . The Swiss had an arthroscopy on his right knee earlier this year and, after the rehab was unsatisfactory, another. As a result, Federer canceled the entire rest of 2020 after aiming for a return to the (ultimately not held) lawn season.
Now the record major champ seems ready to return to the tennis court. On Thursday, Federer was the star guest and Lindt brand ambassador at the inauguration of the world's largest "chocolate" fountain in Kilchberg. And joked about how long it took before he was even allowed to become the chocolate manufacturer's brand ambassador: "When it finally worked in 2009, I had been world number 1 for 250 weeks."
Federer: "Hope to play the Australian Open"
Federer had played his last official tennis match in the semifinals of the Australian Open and lost to Novak Djokovic, after which he was on the field again in the charity match in South Africa against Rafael Nadal, then the operation came. Since the Nadal game, he has only picked up the bat three times, said the 39-year-old according to Blick .
This will obviously change next week. "Next week tennis should start again. Very easy, two times 45 minutes," said Federer , who has apparently finished his physical training program. Originally, Federer should have returned to tennis in mid-August, as coach Severin Lüthi announced in July.
Federers 2020 is reminiscent of 2016, when he also had to have an arthroscopy on his knee, also after the Australian Open - back then it was the left knee. Federer had already returned to Monte Carlo at that time and had played a short sand season, but announced the end of his season after the Wimbledon tournament (where he reached the semifinals) due to knee and back problems. And preparing for 2017, which he opened with a bang, namely victory at the Australian Open.
Is there a déjà vu? At least the plan is there. "I hope to play at the Australian Open next January."