last dance
‘I hope I can come back’ – Roger Federer teases he wants one last Wimbledon after missing first tournament since 1997
Roger Federer hoped he could come back for at least one more time at Wimbledon.
The 40-year-old is missing his first tournament at the All England Lawn Tennis club since 1997 due to recovering from knee surgery.
3
He has not played since losing in the quarter-finals last year to Hubert Hurkacz.
Federer was back on Centre Court at Wimbledon to participate in the centenary celebrations where he was joined by a number of past champions.
Federer said: "I've been lucky enough to play a lot of matches on this court. It's great to be here with all the other champions. My biggest wins, my biggest losses. One of my big highlights was walking out here in 2001 with Pete Sampras. I hope I can come back one way or another.
"Of course I've missed being here. I knew walking out last year it was going to be a tough year ahead. It's been a rough year but I've been happy at home."
Close to 30 winners of the main singles trophies including Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Venus Williams, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray stepped out to hearty applause.
Most read in Sport
3
Organisers might have been apprehensive about the reception three-time singles champion Margaret Court, who has been widely criticised for her views on gay marriage, would receive but, although not as effusive as for many others, there was polite applause.
There were some notable absentees, including seven-time singles champions Pete Sampras and Serena Williams and nine-time winner Martina Navratilova, who has been forced to stay away from the All England Club after testing positive for coronavirus.
The ceremony ended with another standing ovation for Sue Barker, who is in her final year of presenting duties for the BBC.
3
Barker, who has had to deal with many emotional players following final defeats, shed tears of her own on Centre Court at the reception.
"John McEnroe will be sent to Court 17 for going off script but thank you, that really does mean the world to me," she said.
Topics