Roger Federer to spend Christmas with family in Dubai, 'fully test' his knee

20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will spend Christmas with his family in the United Arab Emirates as once again he has opted to prepare for a new season in Dubai. 

Federer, 39, underwent two knee surgeries this year and he is doing everything he can to ensure that he will be ready for the start of the 2021 season. 

Federer is enjoying time with his family but he is also practicing hard as he has acknowledged that he plans to "fully test" his knee in Dubai. 

"Now all four have arrived where they can play a longer rally. Meanwhile they also ask me if I come to play. At the beginning they said: 'You are not our coach! Dad doesn't have to interfere in the game'," Federer told Schweizer Illu, as revealed by Camerlengo73_2/Twitter.

"We‘ll spend Christmas in Dubai this year. I really have to fully test my knee on the tennis court now. With the hope that maybe it will be enough for the Australian Open. But we're just at home wherever the family is."

Roger about the tennis in the family: „Now all four have arrived where they can play a longer rally. Meanwhile they also ask me if I come to play. At the beginning they said: “You are not our coach! Dad doesn't have to interfere in the game. " #federer via @schweizerillu

— Brian🇨🇭 (@camerlengo73_2) December 20, 2020

RF: „We‘ll spend xmas in Dubai this year. I really have to fully test my knee on the tennis court now. With the hope that maybe it will be enough for the AO. But we're just at home wherever the family is. via @schweizerillu #federer

— Brian🇨🇭 (@camerlengo73_2) December 20, 2020

Federer set to play the Australian Open 

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has said that all of the world's best players have confirmed their participation at Melbourne Park.

Federer, who was hampered by a groin injury in his Australian Open semifinal defeat to Novak Djokovic, hasn't played since on the Tour since his participation at Melbourne Park.

"We have a commitment from every player in the world to be in Australia," tournament director Craig Tiley said, as revealed on The Age. "Obviously it being the start of the season anything can happen with that entry list, but the commitment is there... Every player, including Roger, have committed."

"He said to us that February 8 was a more suitable date for him in terms of preparing for the Australian Open," Tiley added. "But a lot will depend on how he responds to his surgery in the next two to three weeks."

This season, the Australian Open will take place from February 08-21.

"We would not be in a position to run the Australian Open if the players were required to stay in their hotel room for two weeks," Tiley said.

A limited number of fans will be allowed to the stands but still Tiley expects a good crowd number at the Australian Open.

"We do expect to have good crowds," Tiley said. "But this is not a year that we try to beat numbers."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/38pf9UW