19-time grand slam champion Roger Federer believes that expectation should not be piled onto rivals Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray when they return.
The two players are absent from the tour due to injury. Djokovic ended his season in July due to a persistent elbow injury that has hindered his performance in recent months. Meanwhile, Murray is nursing a sore hip and hasn’t played since Wimbledon. It is yet to be confirmed if the Brit will play another tournament this year after withdrawing from a duo of events in Asia.
Both former world No.1s can take inspiration from Federer’s comeback. Returning to the tour in January following a six-month injury layoff, the 36-year-old has risen to second in the world. Claiming two grand slams and two Masters 1000 titles. It has been a dream return by the Swiss player, who warns that the same shouldn’t be expected about his rivals comeback.
“I think it’s exactly what’s happening for them right now, they don’t know,” Federer told The Times. “In a way, there’s a lot of stuff you can do in your comeback and they are going to win tournaments again, but at the end of the day not everybody can have the perfect comeback.
“But, as long as you are happy with how you are feeling, that is the perfect comeback for you personally. If I had lost in the first round of the Australian Open but had been feeling fine physically, that would have been a win for me.”
Currently the men’s tour is missing a series of players due to injury. Also absent are Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori due to wrist injuries. Meanwhile, Stan Wawrinka will not play again until 2018 after undergoing knee surgery. The casualty list has raised questions about the scheduling of the tour.
Federer is also not safe from injury after dealing with a back problem leading into the US Open. Still, he maintains that the current spike of injuries on the tour is a ‘freak occurrence’ and nothing further should be read into it.
“I think that all of the guys had to take a break because either they are carrying an injury for a while or they are really not doing well, some have had surgery,” he said.
“I think this is just a freak moment in time that it hit a lot of the guys at the same time. The US Open wasn’t quite the same.”
Federer, who is currently playing in the Laver Cup, will play his next competitive tournament at the Shanghai Masters in October.
