Why Roger Federer isn’t playing in this year’s Australian Open

Roger Federer is missing from the Australian Open for the first time in more than two decades but he’s still the talk of the town.

Australia is getting its first taste of life without Roger Federer and it’s about as palatable as lukewarm quarantine hotel food.

Without one of the most popular athletes in any sport to regularly grace our shores, the Australian Open just didn’t feel the same on day one.

The Swiss master pulled out of the year’s first grand slam as he continues to recover from two knee operations.

Tennis Australia’s head of player liaisons, Brazilian former professional Andre Sa, also revealed the 20-time major champion had baulked at the strict quarantine protocols enforced Down Under.

“The main reason was the quarantine. I talked to him a month ago and he had two options. He could come with the whole family and (they could) quarantine (with) him,” Sa said in January.

“The problem is that Mirka (Federer’s wife) and her children couldn’t leave the room. They would have to stay 14 days in the room. The exception is only for players. He could go out, train and come back, but the family couldn’t. Mirka did not approve the idea.

Roger Federer posted this photo with a caption "back to work" 13 weeks ago.

“The other option would be for him to come alone. Only there would be at least five weeks away from family and children. And then he said, ‘Dude, (I’m) 39, (I have) four kids, 20 Grand Slams, I am no longer (willing) to spend five weeks away from my family.”

The tennis world will have to wait until the ATP Qatar Open in Doha in mid-March for Federer’s return, but he was still making headlines on Monday because his greatness is always a popular topic of conversation.

Tom Brady’s win in the Super Bowl sparked debate over his place among the greatest athletes of all-time and Federer started trending on Twitter as many offered him as a contender for the crown of sport’s all-time number one.

Federer, 39, was quick to congratulate Brady on social media, saluting his “inspiring” achievement at the age of 43.

@giseleofficial ✌️plus 🖐 equals 7. What an inspiring achievement. @TomBrady Age is just a number 🐐🏆 #TB12 pic.twitter.com/R4j06LCls7

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) February 8, 2021

Federer’s name came up again after the night session at Melbourne Park, when Australia’s Nick Kyrgios was asked to rank tennis’s modern day greats.

“I don’t think we have ever seen someone maybe so dominant in their period of time as Novak (Djokovic), like he went on that obviously 60-match winning streak or something really crazy,” said Kyrgios.

“I think in my opinion I believe Roger is the greatest of all time. With his skill set, the way he plays the game, I think it’s pure.

“I actually think talent-wise Nadal and Djokovic aren’t even close to Roger. Talent-wise, just purely based on talent the way Federer plays, his hands, his serving, his volleys, untouchable.

“Rafa you will never see someone so dominant on one surface ever. I don’t think we will ever see that amazing accomplishment on clay, the best clay courter of all time. It’s funny, because I think Roger is the greatest of all time but not the greatest of the era because his head-to-head against Rafa is not great. But it’s a tough one.”

Roger Federer. (Photo by RODGER BOSCH / AFP)

“Me personally, I played them all. I actually think Andy [Murray] for me was tougher than Novak to play. I mean, I have only played Novak twice. I have played Andy six times and I’m 1-5,” Kyrgios added.

“I actually think I match up quite well against Nadal. I can serve big and play kind of the right style of tennis to be successful against him. Styles make fights in tennis. All the match-ups are different.

“Roger’s chopped me a couple of times. Roger makes you feel like you’re really bad at tennis sometimes. He walks around, he flicks his head, and I’m, like, I don’t even know what I’m doing out here. Roger is the greatest, for me.”

Let’s hope he’s back next year.