‘He doesn’t want to retire through back door’ – expert backs Roger Federer to continue

A two-time major finalist does not believe Roger Federer will retire due to injury, saying he is “too good to retreat through the back door”.

Former world number two Alex Corretja – an analyst and commentator for Eurosport – thinks the Swiss legend’s “intensity and ball speed is still higher than the others”.

Federer announced last month that he would undergo a third knee surgery after suffering a setback during the grass court season.

The 20-time major champion returned in March this year after having double knee surgery in 2020.

“I think he wants to make the most of his remaining tennis. He doesn’t want to retire through the back door, he wants to do it by playing. [He is] too good to retreat through the back door,” the Spaniard told Marca.

“If it (his knee) is operated, it is because it looks competitive. At Wimbledon, at 50 percent, he reaches the quarter-finals. You may think that if you are okay, you still have a chance of winning there. His intensity and ball speed is still higher than the others.

“I think that the three of the ‘Big Three’ feel that they depend more on them than on the others, although they know that [Daniil] Medvedev, [Stefanos] Tsitsipas and [Alexander] Zverev hold their rhythm for three and four hours. Two years ago that was impossible.”

The 39-year-old played just five events following his comeback to the tour this year. His most recent appearance was a straight-set Wimbledon quarter-final defeat to Hubert Hurkacz.

The current world number nine revealed he would be out for “many months” due to the latest surgery.

Read >> US Open BREAKING NEWS

Watch >> US Open LIVE SCORES

Catch up >> US Open ‘Second Service’

Enjoy >> US Open LIVE COMMENTARY

Order >> US Open SPECIAL MAGAZINE

Follow >> Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube

Join >> Tennishead CLUB, the world’s only virtual tennis club