Federer ready for Aussie Open
LONDON: Roger Federer is practising pain-free after undergoing two knee surgeries this year and says he expects to return to the circuit at the Australian Open in January.
The 39-year-old Swiss reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park at the start of the year but missed the rest of the season after undergoing a second arthroscopic procedure on his right knee. “I’m on the right track,” the 20 times Grand Slam singles champion told German-language magazine Schweizer Illustrierte.
“I’m gradually coming back but I’m going to take my time and don’t want to put any pressure on myself. I will only take part in a tournament when I am 100 percent fit.
“At the moment, it looks like I can make my comeback at the Australian Open in January.”
While he has made significant progress in his recovery he says he is still not at the point where he can train as normal. “Not yet, more than two hours with the racquet are not possible at the moment,” said Federer, who is currently ranked fourth in the world and saw Rafael Nadal equal his Grand Slam haul with a 13th French Open title this month.
“But I’ve been working on my stamina and strength absolutely without pain for a while. There will be no further operations.”
Federer is often asked about his retirement plans but the Swiss said he would keep playing as long as he was enjoying it. “I have been thinking about ideas for about five years,” he added. “But as long as I am having fun and it’s right for all of us, I’ll keep going.”
GOERGES CALLS IT QUITS
Germany’s Julia Goerges, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2018, announced her retirement from tennis on Wednesday.
“I have always known that I would feel it when the right time has come to say goodbye — and the moment is here,” the 31-year-old, currently ranked 45th in the world, posted on social media.
“Thank you for everything you have given me”, Goerges wrote in a love letter to tennis, “you will be in my heart forever”.
Goerges won a total of seven singles and five doubles titles on the WTA tour.
Her highest ranking was ninth in the world two years ago, the season she lost to Serena Williams in the semi-finals at Wimbledon.
Goerges played her last match earlier this month at the French Open, her 48th appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam, when she bowed out in the second round. She was one of only three German women to earn a top-15 ranking in both singles and doubles along with Steffi Graf and Claudia Kohde-Kilsch.