Roger Federer plans a comeback in 2021 - What experts say?

Roger Federer is planning to return to competitive action at the 2021 Australian Open. The Swiss maestro went under the knife undergoing two knee surgeries

The main focus for the Swiss Maestro next year would be the Australian Open followed by the Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics. 

What are some of the expert's take on the comeback of the 20-time grand slam champion?

Andy Roddick - The American pointed out that Federer's performance will depend on the speed of the courts in Melbourne. If the courts are quick, the Swiss's aggressive and proactive game will be benefitted. It will make his gameplay easier and the rallies will be much shorter.

Paul Annacone - The former coach of Federer opined that the Swiss needs to manage his workload efficiently during the tournament. It will be tough to stay great for seven matches consecutively over two weeks at a Major. If he is healthy and hits the spots on his serve, it will be better to not bet against Federer. 

Jim Courier - The two-time Australian Open champion felt that if he finds his first serve in the big moments and has a lively right arm with power in his forehand, he will be awfully tough to beat. Courier also remarked that he would be surprised if he does not make it to the semifinals of a Major assuming he is fully fit. 

Ivan Ljubicic - Current coach of Roger Federer disclosed that his recovery from a knee injury is going well and is training more. It all depends on how much we will be able to push him in the coming months. 

Tim Henman - Henman hopes the rehabilitationthat Federer is going through currently goes well and since he will be competing at the highest level of the game, it is not going to get any easier for him. He lauded the incredible eagerness of the Swiss to come back at the age of 39. Federer has nothing to prove and has achieved so much in the sport. 

Greg Rusedski - The tennis analyst said that the Federer of 2017 is gone and the fans need to get used to it. He will inevitably return as a different player. Rusedski said that he cannot imagine anything that Federer can make any change to his game as people already know what is coming at them. 

The Australian Open has been a happy hunting ground for Federer. He won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018 followed by a fourth-round exit in 2019 where he surprisingly lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas and an injury affected his campaign in 2020 as he ended up with a semifinal finish.

Given the fact that Federer is not young anymore at the age of 39, his comeback after a long layoff will not be easy. He will also have to deal with the prospect of playing in empty stadiums without the presence of fans which will be another challenge for the Swiss. 

The quarantine rules in Australia are still uncertain as the borders of some states are closed and the organizers are awaiting the government's decision on the same. 

With injuries piling up and age not on his side, there are doubts about whether Roger Federer can hold the rigors of a punishing ATP schedule despite the tendency of the Swiss to pick and choose tournaments. 

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