Paul Rouget: published on Tuesday December 08, 2020 at 12:16 p.m.
As he prepares to return to the circuit after almost a year of absence, Roger Federer has admitted that his main goal in 2021 is to compete in the Tokyo Olympics.
The return to competition is becoming clearer for Roger Federer. Removed from the courts for almost a year, since his last appearance was on January 30, 2020, and his loss in the last four of the Australian Open against Novak Djokovic, the Swiss, who had a second operation right knee in spring, is supposed to make its return to Melbourne. A first Grand Slam of the year which should not start before February due to the health crisis. What makes the business of Federer, who will be able to refine his preparation in the coming weeks. Even if the Australian Major, which he has already won six times (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017 and 2018), is not the main objective of his season, far from it.
Titled at the Olympics, but in doubles
This is what he confided in a video exchange for a Japanese platform with Kei Nishikori, who shares the same equipment supplier as him (Uniqlo). “My major aspiration is to be there for the Olympics, it’s my biggest goal,” he said. Maybe selfishly I can say it wasn’t a bad thing for me that the Games were out of place, with the issues I had last season (…) But yes, this is clearly one of my main goals. I really hope that I will be able to come back to Tokyo and Japan for this event. “Because the Olympic title is one of the (very) few missing from his record. If he was titled in doubles with Stan Wawrinka in Beijing, the Balois systematically failed in singles: he was beaten by Arnaud Di Pasquale in the bronze match in 2000, before losing in the second round against Tomas Berdych (2004), in the quarterfinals against James Blake (2008 ) then in the final against Andy Murray in London (2012) Absent in Rio four years ago, Federer (39) therefore has one last chance to win this gold medal. Will he be able to grab it?
