Marion Bartoli: 'Roger Federer will win another Major title, he has a chance at..'

The 20-time Major champion Roger Federer has hit the practice court at home in Switzerland, looking good to come back next January. After a couple of months in the gym, Roger is finally back on the court, working on a Melbourne-like surface and getting ready for the next year's Australian Open. The Swiss has played only one tournament in 2020, losing in the Australian Open's semi-final and calling it a season after two knee surgeries. In Melbourne's third round, the Swiss trailed 8-4 in the fifth-set tie break against the local star John Millman, rattling off six straight points to survive and advance into the last 16. Federer had to play against seven match points against Tennys Sandgren in the quarter-final's fourth set, fending them off and prevailing in five sets to enter the last four! In the semis, Novak Djokovic beat Roger in straight sets in what has been the final official match of the season for the Swiss.

After the record-breaking Cape Town encounter with Rafael Nadal at the beginning of February, Federer underwent knee surgery, planning to return in June for the grass swing in Halle and Wimbledon. Failing to erase the pain, Roger underwent another surgery in May, opting to skip the rest of the season and turning the focus on 2021. A former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli believes Roger can win Major titles at 39 and after such a long break. Praising the Swiss's abilities on the fastest surface, Bartoli gives Roger a lot of chances at Wimbledon if the eight-time champion makes an early return in 2020 and get in shape ahead of the third Major of the year.

Marion Bartoli believes Roger Federer will have a chance at Wimbledon 2021.

A year ago, Roger had everything in his hands in the Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic, wasting two match points and suffering a 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12 loss after four hours and 57 minutes. Thanks to that Australian Open semi-final and points from 2019, Roger is still ranked in the top-4, hoping for a strong run in the upcoming season and a similar comeback to the one he made in 2017.

"Roger Federer will win another Major title. I think it is better he has a four to five month warm-up before he arrives at Wimbledon. If he comes at SW 19 without any matches for 18 months and Wimbledon is his first Major of the year, he might be too rusty. Roger doesn't have to use too much of his fitness on grass due to his game's nature. He can serve and volley, come to the net and use the slice wisely. If Roger Federer can build up some momentum and confidence, he can win it. He was so close against Novak last year," Marion Bartoli said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3jGN9zw