SWITZERLAND: Tennis player Roger Federer, whose last Grand Slam win was the 2018 Australian Open will not play again until next year due to a knee injury.
The 38-year-old player said that he needed follow-up arthroscopic surgery a few weeks ago after undergoing a similar keyhole procedure in February.
With Wimbledon having been cancelled and the ATP Tour suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was anticipated the 20-time grand slam singles champion could compete at the US Open in August.
However, Federer says a setback in his rehabilitation means he required a further arthroscopic procedure, and he intends to give his body as long as possible to recover.
The announcement is likely to renew speculation about retirement for Federer, who holds the record for men’s Grand Slam singles titles and was last month named as the world’s highest-paid athlete.
Federer, whose first major trophy was in 2003, lies just ahead of his fierce rivals Rafael Nadal (19) and Novak Djokovic (17) on the all-time list.
Roger Federer recently became the world’s highest-paid athlete for 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic knocked football’s Lionel Messi off top spot.
The Swiss tennis great, a men’s record 20-time Grand Slam singles champion, earned $106.3 million in the last 12 months, including $100 million via endorsements, to move up four places and become the first player from his sport to top the list.
Read more: Roger Federer named world’s highest earning athlete
ADVERTISEMENT
