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Roger Federer, Tennis News

‘It is more difficult for Roger Federer to add to his tally’, says analyst


A former World No 1 said Roger Federer will be thinking about his Grand Slam record being overtaken by Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. 

Lindsay Davenport, who won three Grand Slams in her career, believes Rafael Nadal is primed to win his 21st Grand Slam at Roland Garros, which will almost certainly be playing on the Swiss star’s mind.

The American gave her thoughts about Roger Federer amid his comeback in Doha this week on the Tennis Channel.

“I wonder how could it not be (at the back of Federer’s mind),” Davenport said.

“I think Roger knows that it is going to be more difficult for him than it is for the other two to maybe add to their tally. I mean Federer’s looking forward towards Wimbledon but Rafa’s just a couple of months away from his favourite surface to try and get to 21.”

Federer recently spoke at length about his ambitions for the upcoming season, revealing he would constantly monitor his troubled knee and that he hopes to be 100% fit in time for Wimbledon.

Davenport said: “I think in reading his comments in his press conference, his expectations are pretty low and when you are 40 years old and coming back from double knee surgery last year, you don’t really know what to expect.

“He thinks his knees are okay but until you are out there playing matches and having to change direction and also play some points with a little bit of stress and some nerve you just don’t know how your body is going to respond.

But I love his outlook which was ‘I just want to be a 100% for Wimbledon so any matches that I get until then is really a bonus’.”

After losing to Nikoloz Basilashvili in the quarter-finals in Doha, the 39-year-old decided to withdraw from Dubai to give himself extra practice time.


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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.