Tennis news - Roger Federer prioritising Wimbledon as he prepares for return in Qatar this week

ByEurosport

Updated 07/03/2021 at 15:34 GMT

The 20-time Grand Slam champion has not played a competitive match since the Australian Open of 2020, with two knee surgeries delaying his return. A proposed appearance at the slam in Melbourne this year was shelved as he did not feel in the required shape to compete, but the 39-year-old will be in action in Doha this week.

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Roger Federer says his main target this year is to play at Wimbledon as he prepares to make his comeback at the Qatar Open this week.

He says the grass Grand Slam is his number one target this year and is happy to be back in competitive action.

“I'm very happy to be back playing a tournament again,” he told reporters at a press conference on Sunday as he prepares to face either Dan Evans or Jeremy Chardy.

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“It's been a long time. I never thought it would take this long. Obviously at this moment I feel like it's just about, 'let's see how matches go, let's see how training goes with all the top guys and professional players, not just sparring partners'.

“I was playing a lot of two-on-ones the last few months and so forth. I know I need to go back to training after here again so from this standpoint it's just about building up to being stronger, better, fitter, faster and all that stuff.

I hope then by Wimbledon I'm going to be 100 per cent and that's when the season starts for me.

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“Everything until then it's just 'let's see how it goes'. I might surprise myself but then actually I've already done in practice the last few weeks. I was surprised at actually how well it did go, but like we know, matches are a different animal.

“Right now it's like I'll just take it day by day. (I'm) happy I'm back on the tour again and will see how things go but of course, for me, everything starts with the grass.”

The 39-year-old insists retirement is not something he is currently thinking about.

He added: "This is not the time to think about that...let's say in the fall of this year.

Retirement was never really on the cards. I think it's more of a conversation if the knee keeps bothering me for months and months - then let's look at it.

“I just feel like the story is not over. It's not like there's one particular reason that I wanted to keep playing tennis other than I enjoyed playing tennis, I enjoy being on the road.

“I'm still a work in progress but probably one of the other reasons for coming back is I want to get that high again of playing against the biggest players and in the biggest tournaments and hopefully winning them again.

“Hopefully I can play in front of crowds again.”