The Swiss Roger Federer, absent from the tracks for much of the 2020 season due to two operations on one knee, acknowledged that he was not sure about participating in the Australian Open, even considering the end of his career.
«It is a race against the clock. Of course, it would help if I had a little more time. But it will be played shortly, ”Federer declared of the Australian Open on Sunday at an awards ceremony in Switzerland.
The first Grand Slam of the year, initially scheduled for January 18 to 31, should be postponed to February due to health restrictions caused by the covid-19 pandemic.
“I would have expected to be 100% from October. But I’m not at that level, even today. It could be very fair ”for the Australian Open, he explained.
Federer, 39, even fueled speculation about his future by evoking a possible retirement: “If my career had to end here, it would be good to end it with this award” (Federer received an award recognizing the best Swiss athlete of the last 70 years), declared the Swiss, winner of 20 Grand Slams.
The Basel-born man has not played since February 2020, the date on which he had surgery on his right knee.
In June, Federer revealed that he underwent a complementary operation on the same knee, forcing him to cancel the remainder of his 2020 season.
I hope there is still something to see from me in the new year. We will see (…) We take our time, but the next two, three months will be very important for me, ”warned Federer, who is 5th in the ATP rankings.
In what could be his last year on the circuit, if he manages to recover, Federer would seek, in addition to a 9th title at Wimbledon, the Olympic tournament in Tokyo, the only important title missing from his XXL record. AFP (HN)