FEDERER LEFT AT CROSSROADS
SW19 may not see him again
ROGER FEDERER suffered his worst ever Wimbledon defeat yesterday – and then admitted he does not know if he will ever return to play again.
The Swiss superstar, who turns 40 next month, would not even commit to competing in the Olympics later this month.
The 20- time Grand Slam champion was blown away on a blustery day by world No. 18 Hubert Hurkacz, beaten 6- 3 7- 6 6- 0 in under two hours
It was the first time he has been bagelled at Wimbledon on perhaps his last appearance at the All England Club.
His emotional turn and wave to the adoring Centre Court crowd as he left the scene of his greatest triumphs certainly suggested it was a farewell performance.
Asked if this humbling defeat was his last in SW19, Federer said: “I don’t know. I really don’t know. I have got to regroup. My goal was always for the last year and more to always try to play another Wimbledon.
“I was able to make it this year, which I’m really happy about. With everything that comes after Wimbledon, we were always going to sit down and talk about it because clearly now Wimbledon is over.
“I have got to take a few days. You can’t think of the entire mountain to climb at once. You’ve got to go o in steps. Wimbledon was as the initial first super r step, if you like.
“I just think I need d to speak to the team, , get it all out, hear what at they have to say, tell them hem how I felt, and then we go from there. I’ve got to take my time, take the right decision.”
If his 119th match at his 22nd consecutive Wimbledon was his last, it was a sad way to go.
Federer, who had been seeking to equal Martina Navratilova’s singles record of nine Wimbledon titles, had been the oldest man to ever reach the quarter- finals in the Open era. And yesterday he looked like a 39- year- old who had two knee operations and was playing only his 13th match since January 2020. Lacking any timing or rhythm, he made 31 unforced errors and was broken five times by the 24- year- old Pole, who had hero- worshipped him grow growing up. Federer had not lost in straight sets at The Championships since si winning only 12 games g against Mario Ancic A in 2002. “It was tough,” to he admitted.
“Clearly, there’s still a lot of things missing in my game that maybe 10, 15, 20 years ago were very simple and very normal for me to do. ”
Hurkacz, above, who had knocked out world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in the last round, said: “It’s super special for me – it’s a dream come true.”
He will face Italian Matteo Berrettini tomorrow after the Italian seventh seed beat Felix Auger- Aliassime 6- 3 5- 7 7- 5 6- 3.