'I miss Wimbledon' - Restless Roger Federer has his sights set on 2021
There are some athletes who simply cannot fathom sitting in the comfort of their multi-million dollar mansions away from their art, even if they have achieved everything there is to achieve. The very thought of taking a break makes them restless, let alone letting go for good. And Roger Federer is firmly in that category of athletes.
The Swiss maestro was born to play tennis. And even though he is currently undergoing extensive rehabilitation after multiple surgeries on his right knee, Roger Federer can't stop thinking about the sport and its many hues.
In a recent interview the 20-time Grand Slam champion revealed that he is fully committed to returning to the court in 2021, while also talking about how much he is missing his beloved Wimbledon.
I am confident I'll be 100% ahead of next season: Roger Federer
Roger Federer first reflected on the time spent with his family during the lock-down, and asserted that he has loved every bit of it.
"It has been very nice for me to spend the whole period of the lock-down in Switzerland. For the past 25 years I have traveled a lot, I have never spent two consecutive months at home. Now we have been in Switzerland for four or five months in a row and basically we had fun," Federer said.
Roger Federer also mentioned the high quality of life his country has to offer, and how he has reveled in the opportunity to enjoy it for the first time since turning professional.
"The quality of life here is extraordinary, we have summer now and many people spend time outside, us too," Roger Federer added.
The Swiss then talked about his health and how he is going about the post-surgery rehab. It's been a slow process according to Federer, but one that gives him confidence for the future.
"However, I had to go one step at a time, going slowly with rehabilitation and this slow recovery. Now I already feel better, I am not yet at a level that I can play tennis, but I am confident that I am 100% ahead of next season," Federer revealed.
Playing Wimbledon is my goal for next year: Roger Federer
It didn't take long before the conversation moved to Wimbledon, the mecca of tennis and the foundation stone of Roger Federer's evergreen legacy. The eight-time Wimbledon champ talked about just how much he misses playing on the famed Centre Court, and said that the prestigious Slam is one of the reasons he keeps working.
"I miss Wimbledon...Wimbledon has given me everything...Right now I would love to be there. I would like to play on Centre Court for a seat in the second week of the tournament. One of my great goals is precisely to play it next year. And that's why I train and work daily. Now I'm going to face a block of 20 weeks of physical preparation," Federer said.
Roger Federer also reflected on his difficult 2020 and revealed that he did entertain thoughts of hanging up his racquet. But now the Maestro seems to be pretty clear that retirement is some way off.
"It was a very important moment for me," Federer admitted. "With the coronavirus, the two operations, I thought if it was appropriate or not to continue. It seems easy, but I can assure you that to return to certain levels it takes a very long way. With recovery you have to be patient and take all the time you need to think."
Haven't seen my parents for 3 months: Roger Federer
Roger Federer mentioned that while being with his own family has been great, it has been tough for him to stay away from his parents for so long.
"For three months I have not even seen my parents," Federer said. "We have been very attentive to the provisions of the government. It was very important to be so and even today it must be so; you have to be careful."
But even in the gloomy 2020, Federer managed to generate a ray of sunshine - for himself as well as the less privileged. The Swiss fondly reminisced his charity match involving close rival and friend Rafael Nadal, billionaire Bill Gates and comedian Trevor Noah, and said that it made the year 'special' for him.
"It has been a very special year so far. My last match was in South Africa with Rafael Nadal for my Foundation," Federer said.
But things quickly went sour for the legend after that, and Roger Federer acknowledged the difficult bits of 2020 as well.
"I played the Australian Open, then I underwent two knee surgeries. They canceled Wimbledon, the Olympics, then Covid, the quarantine, the travel ban. So many things," he went on.
Can Roger Federer create another 2017 in 2021?
It's never a good time to go under the knife, but many believe Roger Federer could not have chosen a better time than now for his multiple knee operation. The return of the tennis season is still far from certain, with doubts mounting every day over the fate of the US Open and questions being raised about the French Open's decision to allow fans in the stadium.
The ATP's announcement of a revised ranking system means that the World No. 4 does not risk losing points earned from 2019. Even though Federer will be missing nine months in 2020, he would be protected from a considerable drop in the rankings.
Some might say the break has proved to be a boon for Roger Federer. He has got time to sort out his knee and bounce back with vigor, for what could be the final purple patch of his career.
Returning from a long injury layoff is never easy. But for Roger Federer, it's not something new.
The 'grand old man' of tennis had a similar scare in 2016 when he was forced to sit out of multiple big tournaments for the first time in well...ever. But as everyone wrote off the then 35-year-old on his return to tennis in 2017, Roger Federer did something special.
He proved the doubters wrong at the first time of asking by winning the Australian Open, and he did it with some swagger. Federer beat his nemesis Rafael Nadal in a five-set final for the ages, making the tennis world hunt for superlatives to describe his agelessness.
Roger Federer then continued his surreal comeback by winning Wimbledon and then the Australian Open next year as well. That was his 20th and till date last Slam crown, and it gave him back the World No. 1 ranking too.
That said, Roger Federer will be four years older in 2021 than he was in 2017. It will naturally be tougher to repeat the fairytale as a nearly 40-year-old man than it was as a 35-year-old.
But for now, fans of Roger Federer would welcome the news that the heart and soul of tennis will continue playing for at least one more year.