Will Roger Federer Suffer The Same Fate as Juan Martin del Potro Upon Return Following Knee Surgery?

40-year-old Roger Federer has had a troubling past couple of years. Because of knee problems, Federer has been on and off the tour, with no results to write home about in the meantime.

With his last major title having come in 2018, it’s been four years since the Maestro tasted Grand Slam glory. Moreover, he has also had his knee operated on thrice since then. That’s a lot of surgeries on one knee, and in a very short span, too.

Recently, we saw Juan Martin del Potro return from knee surgery after two and a half years. After his lengthy absence, the Tower of Tandil returned to immediately express how he is still in pain when he plays. This certainly makes one think what Roger Federer will go through if he intends to play at the highest competitive level after coming back to the tour.

Could Roger Federer continue competing for Grand Slam titles?

Roger Federer had stated that he would stop playing the day he felt he couldn’t compete for Grand Slam titles. Thus, when he stated that he isn’t going to retire just yet, one can assume he wants to make another couple of runs at major titles.

However, would that be so easy for the 20-time Grand Slam champion? At his age, injuries come easier, and recovery from even a niggle takes a lot longer than the younger players who occupy the top 10.

This begs the question- how tough would it be for the Swiss Maestro to even play, let alone compete with finalists and semi-finalists in Grand Slam events? Federer underwent two back-to-back surgeries in 2020. This sidelined him from the tour for over a year, and he only returned while the sport was struggling with the effects of the global pandemic.

Juan Martin del Potro took a similar amount of time off and already decided to quit after one event. Hence, the discourse over whether Federer will even manage to play through smaller events without hurting is undeniable.

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Federer has himself stated that a 2022 return in time for Wimbledon would surprise him, too. Nevertheless, he still confirmed his participation in the Laver Cup 2022, where he’ll play alongside longtime rival and friend Rafael Nadal.

Will Federer suffer as del Potro did?

Rafael Nadal had recently stated that both Roger and he are no longer as healthy as they’d like to be, nor are their recoveries as good. Yet, when he lifted the Australian open 2022 trophy in January this year, one can be sure it went all the way to Switzerland to remind Federer of what he can still achieve.

Roger Federer is already the second-oldest player to have won a Grand Slam with his 2018 Australian Open title. Four years down the line, his age is also going to pose a big question mark over his possible victories.

Federer’s biggest rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are no longer his only ones. Gone is the time when his victory was undeniable leading up to the semi-final or the penultimate round in tournaments. Now, Federer would certainly have to face top-20 players if he competes and has deep runs in Grand Slam events. Consequently, in those matches, Roger Federer would become something he never has been- the underdog.

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Moreover, if Federer were to return after Wimbledon wraps up, he would miss out on his preferred turf. Following that, the hardcourt dominates the tour. That would spell heavy strain and pressure on a 40-year-old knee that underwent 3 surgical procedures.

Could the Maestro lift a Grand Slam trophy again?

The entire tennis world wishes to see it- Roger Federer holding up a 21st Grand Slam trophy. In fact, if it were on a grass court, it would almost feel like it was scripted. Yet, practicality begs one to acknowledge that it could very well never happen again.

Undoubtedly, Roger Federer is and always would be one of the most skilled and masterful tennis players ever. However, faced with younger, quicker, and faster-recovering opponents, Federer will always be the underdog in those matches.

Of course, who doesn’t love a good comeback story? Moreover, Federer has already scripted one of the greatest comeback seasons ever. After injuries cut his 2016 season short, the Fedexpress came back to win both the Australian Open and the Wimbledon Championships.

In fact, it was the first time since 2009 that he won multiple majors in a year. With 5 more ATP titles that came along with two major trophies, Federer has already shown the world he is more than capable of making a comeback when the crowd considers him done for.

In the end, only time will tell if Roger Federer could be successful in winning a Grand Slam again. It is surely a long, long shot. But then again, there’s been nobody better than the Maestro himself at the long shots.

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