Australian Open 2021: Roger Federer losing fitness race

A delayed start to the 2021 Australian Open may not be enough to seal six-time champion Roger Federer’s place at the tournament.

Roger Federer, speaking after a loss to Novak Djokovic in Melbourne in January, is struggling to recover from a knee injury in time for the Australian Open. Picture: Getty Images

Even a delayed start to the Australian Open may not be enough to ensure Roger Federer plays in Melbourne in 2021 as he recovers from a knee injury.

The 20-time major winner has not played since injuring a knee at the Australian Open, when he was a beaten semi-finalist at the hands of Novak Djokovic, with his recovery is taking longer than he had hoped.

At an awards ceremony in Switzerland, the 39-year-old said he was still not 100 per cent following surgery in June and was racing the clock to be fit for the year’s first grand slam.

“I would have hoped that I would be 100 per cent in October. But I am still not today. It will be tight for the Australian Open,” he said.

“It’s a race against time for the Australian Open. I’m curious to see whether it will start on February 8. Of course, it would help if I had a bit more time.”

Not sure, how serious he was. But @rogerfederer ends with the words: "I hope there is still something to see from me next year. But if that was it, that would have been an incredible ending for me at these Sports Awards." Personally, I am sure he'll do everything to be @wimbledon

— Simon Graf (@SimonGraf1) December 13, 2020

Australian Open organisers are finalising arrangements with local government officials as well as the ATP and WTA Tours, with confirmation of a starting date imminent.

A six-time Australian Open champion, Federer underwent a second surgery on his right knee in the middle of the year. He suffered a similar injury when beaten by Milos Raonic in the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2016.

But Federer, who turns 40 in August, rebounded to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon the following season after a five-year drought at major level.

Roger Federer is in doubt to compete at the Australian Open. Picture: AAP/Michael Dodge

He reportedly told the Switzerland Sports Awards his priorities for 2021 are Wimbledon, the US Open and the Tokyo Olympics, with Federer still chasing a maiden gold medal in singles.

Should Federer travel to Australia for his 22nd appearance, he will do so without his family given the quarantine requirements.

The last time an Australian Open was played without Federer in the field was in 1999, when he was beaten in qualifying. The Swiss champion has won 102 of the 117 matches he has played at Melbourne Park.

On a more positive note for @rogerfederer: He is elected greatest athlete in Switzerland since 1950 with 49,1 per cent of the votes, ahead of cross country skier Dario Cologna (12,2 %) and downhill skier Pirmin Zurbriggen (12 %).

— Simon Graf (@SimonGraf1) December 13, 2020

Meanwhile, qualifying for the Australian Open will be held overseas for the first time in Dubai from January 9-13.

The 16 qualifiers in the men’s and women’s qualifying singles events will join the charter flight to Melbourne on January 15, where competitors will enter quarantine for a fortnight.

The United Arab Emirates will be an effective hub early in the season in place of where Australian tournaments would normally be scheduled on the calendar.

The WTA Tour has scheduled a new tournament to begin January 5, The Gulf News reported, given the disrupted Australian summer. A men’s event in Delray Beach will be brought forward a month.

Australian officials are expected to announce the local wildcards as early as this week, and almost certainly before Christmas, to allow those overlooked the option of travelling to Dubai in a bid to earn a spot.

Tennis Australia has been running Universal Tennis Ratings tournaments across the country since June for local competitors.

A broader local event may be programmed to give Australians further opportunities for match play before the grand slam.

Originally published as Australian Open 2021: Roger Federer losing fitness race