'Roger Federer has set an example for posterity with his...', says ATP legend

After months of absence and after having kept his fans in suspense for some time, Roger Federer has finally dissolved his reservations regarding his participation in the Australian Open, scheduled for February 8th. Initially the Swiss champion had hinted of a possible appearance after months of absence, due to the double surgery undergone in 2020, in Melbourne but in the end it was not so: Roger Federer will not participate in the Australian Open 2021. It was not Roger Federer who announced the news but rather his agent, Tony Godsick, to the Associated Press microphones. Here are his statements: "Roger Federer has decided not to participate in the Australian Open. He has made great progress in the past two months with both the knee and the physical condition, but, after consulting with his entire team, he decided that the best decision for him was to return to competition only after the Australian Open." Godsick also finally confirmed that Federer should return towards the end of February. This news stunned tournament organizers themselves with Australian Open director Craig Tiley, who said: "Roger was unable to prepare for Melbourne and is disappointed not to participate in the tournament. For him, the Australian Open has a special place in his heart and we can't wait to see him back on the pitch, then awaiting his return in 2022." While speaking on Alistair McCaw’s podcast, Ivan Ljubicic marveled at how Roger Federer broke new ground in tennis by surpassing Pete Sampras' record. The Croat believes that the likes of Federer, Messi and Ronaldo have set the bar higher than anybody could have ever imagined.

Ljubicic on Roger Federer

"Many different reasons," Ivan Ljubicic replied when asked what makes Roger Federer and Cristiano Ronaldo so good even in their 30s. "I mean, I think we know more about the bodies, you know, we know more how to train athletes, we know more about nutrition. And then you know, the people just try to do it. Again, now people see Ronaldos and Rogers and Karlovics of the world, and they see they're doing it," the Croat continued. "So they say - 'Okay, well, I can do that too.' You know, back in the day nobody played at 35, nobody! You would play senior tour at 35, yeah. So it took somebody extraordinary like Roger to kind of go through it and say, Okay, why not?" Meanwhile, with the new tennis season about to begin, the Australian Open 2021 is going to be the first major played. However, this time players are being made to follow certain protocols because of the coronavirus pandemic which has put the world into a panic due to its adverse effects. Tennis Australia has invested a lot of effort into ensuring a successful event, not just for the players but for the fans as well. Players have arrived in Melbourne and are undergoing the quarantine process. During this period, players will be made to live in a bubble for 14-days before returning to a normal routine. 

 

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