“Roger Federer ain’t going there to lose the first round!” John McEnroe contemplates the Swiss Maestro’s return and questions his chances at the Australian Open
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Roger Federer and John McEnroe
20-time grand slam champion Roger Federer is currently in recovery and light training after having his third knee surgery last year. He last played a competitive match in Wimbledon last year and then decided to undergo another surgery to keep himself fit. He was supposed to return after Wimbledon this year but his recovery took more time than expected.
He has now started practicing outdoors and will mark his return in the Laver Cup next month. He is then scheduled to play the Basel Indoors on home soil later in October. Federer, who is currently 41, is yet to speak up about his retirement but given his age, it is assumed that the end of his illustrious career is very near.
American tennis legend, John McEnroe recently spoke about Federer’s retirement. Federer intends to play the next season and McEnroe questioned that and said he can do whatever he wants to do. McEnroe said that Federer knows what it takes to compete at the highest level and he surely isn’t going there to lose the first round.
“He says he wants to play next year and who am I to say that he shouldn’t do that?” questioned McEnroe. “He should absolutely do whatever he wants. So, I don’t know but if he wants to play next year, and he’s even thinking about playing the Australian Open or play these events, he knows what it takes to do that – and he ain’t going there to lose the first round.”
McEnroe further said that he doesn’t know what decision the Swiss maestro will take but added that he is an epitome of class and is the most beautiful player he has ever seen.
“So that will be an interesting decision he will make, I don’t know what will happen, he’s the most beautiful player I’ve ever seen and he’s the epitome of class,” McEnroe said.
‘I thought he was going to play Laver Cup and then he would then go to Basel and retire’: John McEnroe on Roger Federer
McEnroe then spoke about getting a farewell match. He said that he never wanted a farewell match for himself but can totally understand why people want that. But he added that he doesn’t believe Federer wants to have a farewell match just to lose in the first or second round.
“Me personally, I didn’t want the farewell tour but he’s obviously in a much different position than I was in,” McEnroe said. “It depends on the person, some people like that, showered with gifts and love – who wouldn’t? But at the same time, I don’t think Roger wants to go on the court and lose the first or second round.”
He then said that he thought Federer would play the Laver Cup and then go on to retire on home soil in Basel later this year. “I thought what was going to happen is that he was going to play Laver Cup. Hopefully, Team World would win one and then he would then go to Basel and retire. That seemed to make sense because the body wasn’t able to get to the level he needed,” he said.
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Lakshya Chopra
(2595 Articles Published)