Federer withdraws from Tokyo Games due to knee injury

Roger Federer, who turns 40 next month, had two knee surgeries in 2020 which resulted in more than a year of rehabilitation.

Switzerland’s Roger Federer became the latest big name in tennis to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics after the 20-times Grand Slam champion said yesterday that he had picked up a knee injury during the grasscourt season. Federer, who turns 40 next month, had two knee surgeries in 2020 which resulted in more than a year of rehabilitation, with the Swiss returning to action in March — 13 months after his Australian Open semi-final exit last year. He withdrew from the French Open last month despite winning his third round match to save himself for the grasscourt season, where he sought a record-extending ninth title at Wimbledon but was beaten in the quarter-final by Hubert Hurkacz. “During the grass court season, I unfortunately experienced a setback with my knee, and have accepted that I must withdraw from the Tokyo Olympic Games,” Federer said on Twitter. “I am greatly disappointed, as it has been an honour and highlight of my career each time I have represented Switzerland. I have already begun rehabilitation in the hopes of returning to the tour later this summer. I wish the entire Swiss team the best of luck and I will be rooting hard from afar.” Federer won the gold medal in the doubles at the 2008 Games in Beijing when he partnered with Stan Wawrinka while he had to settle for silver in the singles four years later in London when he was beaten by Briton Andy Murray on Wimbledon’s Centre Court. He was also Switzerland’s flag bearer at the 2004 and 2008 Games. David Goffin, the Belgian number one who is 20th in the ATP rankings, also announced that he would not play at the Olympics because he has not recovered from an ankle injury. Meanwhile, Johanna Konta too withdrew from Olympics after a positive test for Covid-19 affected her preparations, the British number one said. Konta was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon a day before the Grand Slam after a member of her team tested positive for Covid-19. But the 30-year-old said she also developed symptoms while self-isolating before testing positive for the virus. Rafa Nadal, Dominic Thiem, Wawrinka, Nick Kyrgios, Serena Williams, Simona Halep and Bianca Andreescu are a long list of played who decided not to compete. Novak Djokovic, who has won the first three Grand Slams of the year, said he was “50-50” about competing in Tokyo following the organisers’ decision to ban fans from attending and the restrictions on the number of people he can take to the Games. Goffin was injured at the Halle tournament in Germany in mid-June and was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon. He said he was suffering from a micro-dislocation in his ankle, coupled with a ligament strain. The Belgian said he hopes to be back in shape “for the American tour in August” and is aiming for the Cincinnati event (15-21 August) which precedes the US Open (30 August-12 September). “I started training again a week ago and I’m happy with the progress. I’m happy with the way things are going,” he said. The 30-year-old Belgian competed in the Olympic Games in 2012 in London, losing in the first round to Argentina’s Juan Monaco and in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, where he went out in the round of 16 against Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci. He was hoping to play in his third Games in Tokyo, a city that has done him well with a title won in 2017 and a final played the previous year.