Switzerland’s Roger Federer admits there are still some unanswered questions about his current form as he returns to competitive action at the Geneva Open later this week.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion has only played in one tournament so far this year which was in Doha where he reached the semi-finals. Since then Federer has opted to concentrate on training as he continues his recovery from injury. He missed most of the 2020 season due to a right knee problem which required two surgical procedures.
This week will be the first time the 39-year-old has played competitively on the clay since his semi-final loss at the 2019 French Open. Geneva will be the only event he will play on the surface heading into the next Grand Slam. However, Federer’s hope is that his upcoming matches will aid him to peak in time for the Grass season with Wimbledon starting two weeks after the French Open.
“I was happy that the knee didn’t feel any different from hard to clay, so I expect the same to go from clay to grass,” Federer told reporters on Monday.
“Since ’98, since we have the grass in my schedule, I’ve never really had any major issues going between surfaces.
“I think that the tennis player is used to these switches but of course with an injury there is always a little bit more concern, especially when you haven’t played as long as I have.”
11 out of Federer’s 103 ATP titles have been won on the clay with his only triumph occurring at the Paris Major back in 2009. Despite the short turnaround between the clay and grass, he is maintaining an optimistic outlook.
“I’m convinced that hitting a lot of balls – you have to really power through the ball, like you have to on clay because otherwise you’re not going to have an impact on this surface – is going to be beneficial for me for the grasscourt season,” he said.
Due to his recent absence, it remains to be seen how much of a threat the former world No.1 can pose on the Tour again. He is currently ranked eighth in the world thanks to adjustments made to the system due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As for Federer’s two main rivals, he admits that it is too early to tell if he will be able to challenge them once again. He trails Rafael Nadal 16-26 in their head-to-head and Novak Djokovic 23-27.
“Of course there are some question marks everywhere,” Federer explains. “But Nadal and Djokovic are on one side and I on the other. I will tell more after 10 matches, but right now I’m not looking to compete straight against them.”
It isn’t just the two highest ranked players in men’s tennis that Federer are wary of with the next generation of players also starting to establish themselves on the Tour. Three out of the four Masters 1000 tournaments so far this season has been won by a player who is not a member of the Big Three.
“The generation of Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Thiem and Zverev has not only improved but has more experience now,” Federer admits. “Nadal and Djokovic are still there… For me finding the level would be an extra challenge.”
“I think that when I will be healthy and I will be on court for long, I will increase my confidence and I will be again part of the top tier,” he added.
As the top seed in Geneva Federer has a bye in the first round. His first match is set to be against either Pablo Andujar or Jordan Thompson.
