"Roger Federer is a living legend" - says John McEnroe
ATP
Roger Federer's tennis future is currently unclear, as the Swiss player has been out of action for over a year. Despite the lack of playing time, John McEnroe still counts the 20-time Grand Slam winner as an all-time great.
When Federer reached the quarter-final of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, there was a feeling that he might pick up some momentum. However, this hasn't been the case and a defeat to Hubert Hurkacz in the final eight was Federer's most recent competitive match.
Now 40 years old and without any tennis game time in 2022 so far, there are question marks over the Swiss' future at the top level. Currently, Federer is still scheduled to play in his home tournament at the Swiss Indoors in Basel in October, yet it remains to be seen whether he will play there.
No matter what the future holds for Federer, he has had an illustrious tennis career, unrivaled by only a few fellow competitors in the game. In his career so far, which began in 1999, Federer has notched 20 career Grand Slams.
When considering the 40-year-old's next steps, another great, John McEnroe, explained that fans and opponents should be grateful for being able to watch a player as talented as Federer.
"Twenty years, you got to look at the bright side. You had a lot of time where you got a chance to watch this guy play and win it numerous times."— McEnroe on Federer<br>
"So, we have to sort of hope that whatever he decides he's happy with. He's 40. He's made it this far. It's amazing. Roger Federer is a living legend. We all know that."
In a further tribute to Federer, McEnroe made comparisons between the Swiss player and another great of the men's game, Rod Laver.
During an impressive career during the 1950s and 60s, the former Australian player won 11 Grand Slam singles titles as well as nine further victories in the men's and mixed doubles categories.
For McEnroe, Federer is in the same bracket as Laver, perhaps even better. The former American player turned pundit explained how the Swiss great has elevated professional tennis simply by his style and the way he plays on the court.
"He's the epitome of what you would want your kid to be when they grow up. He is the most beautiful player I've ever watched play. I idolised [Rod] Laver. He is kind of an updated Laver to me."
Latest Comments
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MrMustard18-12-2024 - All that is said , all that is done. Nick has 0 grand slams wins. Everything else is hot 🥵 air.MrMustard18-12-2024
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