Defending champion Roger Federer is expecting at least two big names to pull out from the upcoming Australian Open as arch-rivals Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray all battle to make their comeback from injuries.
The 19-time Grand Slam champion is the only major star, who is completely fit right now after other members of the ‘Big 4’ withdrew from warm-up tournaments in Brisbane and Doha. While Murray and Djokovic have been sidelined since Wimbledon, with hip and elbow injuries respectively, Nadal brought a premature end to his 2017 campaign due to a persistent knee problem. And Federer feels that the picture will become absolutely clear just a day or two before the season’s opening Grand Slam gets underway in Melbourne.
“They pulled out maybe because they’re not quite ready or because they need another couple of weeks because if you do pull out the first week of the season, you can fly under the radar a bit longer,” the Swiss great said at the Hopman Cup.
“I think that’s important for them and then we’ll really know in a week’s time or in ten days’ time who is going to pull out. So far maybe it’s precautionary.”
“I hope that they all get back at the same time but something tells me that probably two guys out of the five, six that have been injured for a while now, probably won’t make it because it seems too many guys are fighting something.”
“I think, to be honest, it’s maybe going to open the door for me and many others too – that’s just all talk right now.”
“I think at my age I really need to just be focused about my own game, about my own body, my own problems that I will have.”
“It’s still going to be seven matches over five sets – that’s not easy to do. I think regardless of who’s going to be playing or not at the Australian Open, it doesn’t come around easily – it’s never been simple to win over there, we’ll see what happens.”
