The former World no. 1, the ultimate tennis player, Roger Federer has proved it once again that age is just the number. The 39-year-old put on a clinical performance to beat 23rd seed Lorenzo Sonego 7-5, 6-4,6-2 and progress to his 18thquarter final at the grass-court Grand Slam.
The 8th time champion became the oldest player in the modern era to have qualified for the quarter-finals in Wimbledon. The grass-court tournament is where Federer has enjoyed the most success, having won the Grand Slam on a total of 8 occasions.
Roger Federer has spoken about his struggles with injury throughout the year and how he has had to prove to himself time and again that he belongs at the top level.
There was plenty of uncertainty entering this tournament for Federer, who turns 40 in just more than a month. Last year, the Swiss star underwent two arthroscopic right knee surgeries. Before beginning his run at the All England Club, he had only tallied a 5-3 record in 2021.
“When you are young, you don’t ask yourself the question. But when you are me, with the year I had, it’s all question marks all over the place. You have to prove it again to yourself that you can actually do it”, ATP Tour quoted Federer. He further added, “I was willing to take losses for the sake of information, just to be out there, get the body in shape for hopefully, when Wimbledon comes around, that I can actually wake up in the morning and feel all right, that I can go out play five sets”.
Monday’s win against Sonega was Federer’s 118th match at Wimbledon, where he is 105-13.
While he is the oldest to enter this particular Grand Slam, when it comes to all Majors, Federer is the third-oldest. Pancho Gonzales and Ken Rosewall are the ones leading the 39-year-old in that list.
Federer will face the winner of the last 16 matches between 2nd seed Daniil Medvedev, and 14th seed Hubert Hurkacz.
Source: https://www.atptour.com/en/news/federer-wimbledon-2021-r4-reaction
