'Roger Federer only lined up if he was 100% physically', says former player

Roger Federer's worst nightmare has come true. The Swiss phenomenon, confirming the doubts revealed during the Laureus Awards ceremony, announced its forfeit at the Australian Open 2021. Although the Happy Slam has been postponed by about three weeks to allow players to carry out the mandatory quarantine (it will be held from '8 to 21 February in Melbourne Park), the former world number 1 has decided to skip the entire Australian trip due to a physical form still far from 100%. On the other hand, the 20-time Grand Slam champion had repeated several times that the great goals of his season will be Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics, postponed by twelve months due to the global pandemic. At this point, one wonders when we will be able to see King Roger again. His agent Tony Godsick has speculated a return towards the end of February, presumably to Dubai or Rotterdam. In a recent interview with the 20min website, his former Davis Cup teammate Yves Allegro gave his opinion on the future of the Basel legend.

Allegro on Roger Federer's future

"I can see Roger Federer coming back to Rotterdam," Marc Rosset and Yves Allegro said in unison to the 20min website. "I think he will favor places with which he has a common history," Allegro chimed in. "So Rotterdam undoubtedly and perhaps Marseille which offered him a wild card at the start of his career. It's quite logical not to go to Australia where 40 (degrees) and matches in five sets awaited him," Allegro said. "All his career, Roger Federer only lined up if he was 100% physically. So he made the right decision, especially since he has plenty of time left to prepare for his main goals of Wimbledon and the Olympics." Earlier this month, the first tournament of American Double Sunshine, Indian Wells 2021 was also scarped off. Usually, it takes place during the second week of March, but, recently, ATP announced the updated calendar for the next season (only quarter 1) and they have communicated the event in Tennis Paradise will be rescheduled sometime later this year. Also, the tournament issued its statement regarding the same. “Due to the impact of COVID-19, the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells will not be held in its customary dates in March. Alternative dates are being assessed for the tournament to potentially take place later in the year,” as stated by the ATP Tour. However, Indian Wells’ sister tournament Miami Open in Florida will be taking place from March 22 to April 4, 2021. Simultaneously, the ATP Cup 2021 will be taking place from February 1 to 5, 2021. Finally, the Australian summer of tennis will be concluded by playing the Happy Slam, Australian Open 2021 in Melbourne from February 8-21.

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