'You have the feeling that Roger Federer does not sweat', says former No. 1

Last appearance in Melbourne, January 30, 2020. Australian Open, semifinal, two hours and 19 minutes, 37 degrees, defeated in three sets, 7-6 6-4 6-3. It was written: Roger Federer has the arm, Nolan Djokovic everything else. In the press conference after the match, Djokovic's words echoed almost like a farewell for Federer: “I want to say to everyone, respect for Roger for taking the field tonight, he was clearly injured, you could see he couldn't move as he knows. Thanks to him". And again: “Did we play 50 times? I just hope I have made him at least 20 percent better as a player than how he helped me improve. He and Rafa Nadal are the biggest rivals of my career. To reach their level I had to work a lot, physically and technically”. From that moment, for King Roger, the cloister. Not for a mystical crisis or for the health one. Great tennis has never closed. But a physical lockdown: two operations on the right knee. And a long, slow rehabilitation. Until the announcement of yet another postponement on the world stage. "Roger has made great progress over the past two months - in the words of his agent Tony Godsick - but after consulting with his team, he has decided that the best choice for him is to return to competition after the Australian Open." Towards the end of February. Federer is 39 years old. He will turn 40 on August 8th. We must start here to explain that if the engine is there, the bodywork creaks. He was not yet 17 when he made his debut on the professional circuit. And he didn't have 20 yet when he won the first of his 103 tournaments, in Milan, at the Palalido. He was compared to Pete Sampras: he would have outclassed him. He had already collected a junior Wimbledon cup, a basket of oranges at the Miami Orange Bowl and an under 18 world champion title: he would have buried them under six Australian Open, one Roland Garros, five US Open and eight Wimbledon, plus Olympics. and Davis Cup. Of everything and more, more of everything. Pages of sports and entertainment, pages of literature. Former WTA number 1 Simona Halep recently gave her thoughts on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, lauding both of them for some of their unique abilities. 

Halep on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal

During an interview with Digisport, Simona Halep was asked who she prefers between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. “I can say that I like Federer for the beauty of his game and the way he plays this sport,” Halep said. “You have the feeling that he does not sweat and that he has the T-shirt the same as when the game started. Nadal is a totally different tennis player. He expresses hard work and a crazy desire to continue improving himself. They are different people both on and off the court. I don't like staying with either one since I like both.” According to Halep, the Spaniard will add a few more French Open titles to his collection before calling it a day. "I firmly believe that he will continue to win at Roland Garros,” Halep said. “This year, the conditions in Paris were very harsh, cold, and humid. Still, he did not lose any set. I see him winning the title two or three more times.”

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3mZ1hG1