Roger Federer’s former coach Paul Annacone believes the Swiss great isn’t the sole favorite to win next month’s Australian Open in Melbourne.
Warning Federer against over-expectations, Annacone argued that the 36-year-old was in fact among the five favorites to claim the opening Slam of 2018. Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka are the other four. However, all four of them are still struggling with their respective injuries.
While Murray failed to dispel the worries regarding the state of his hip with a limping exhibition against Robert Bautista Agut in Abu Dhabi, Djokovic pulled out of the event citing the same elbow pain that has troubled him since 2016. Wawrinka, on the other hand, is still recuperating after undergoing surgery on his problematic knees.
Despite the setbacks the sport of tennis has witnessed in recent times, Annacone feels that whenever Nadal, Djokovic, Murray and Stan will be fit to compete at the highest level, then the task will become much tougher for Federer.
“I’m very open to seeing what happens,” Annacone, who mentored the former World No. 1 from 2010 to 2014, told Express Sport.
“We saw what happened at the start of 2017 with Roger and Rafa.
“But now we have Novak and Andy back in a similar situation and Stan as well jumping back in there.
“I could venture a guess (on who will win). But when all five of those guys are there I wouldn’t be shocked if it isn’t one of those holding the trophy.
“If indeed it’s a breakthrough for Alexander Zverev or Grigor Dimitrov that would surprise me a little bit. “But that’s why they’re on court.
“For so many years we have asked when these guys, the Big Five, will give someone else a chance. Maybe this is it? But I have a suspicion that if all five of those guys are healthy it will be one of them.”
