I know, I know. Athletes that have played over 20 years should probably retire soon. Usually, it feels like they shouldn’t, and the ceremony is bittersweet due to wondering if they have something left in the tank. I’m not sure why, but I am convinced that Roger Federer is not done playing at the highest level, and apparently, he completely agrees.
After playing in the 2020 Australian Open, a surgery and the subsequent rehab kept Federer out for around 13 months. He only recently returned, showing that he can still play, but tennis fans shouldn’t be too worried about his play. In 2016, after taking some time to recover from a similar injury, he fired back the following year, winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon. However, despite his imminent return, the past year has been strange without him. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal clearly can maintain the star power and quality of tennis, but Federer always seemed like the balance of the two, combining Djokovic’s return and Nadal’s overall defensive skill set. Every year, we had a pretty good idea that if those two didn’t win every Grand Slam, it was because of Federer.
I guess this is just how many golden ages end for sports. Federer, Serena Williams, and others definitely have seen better days in terms of their competition, but I tend to think that they aren’t done just yet. For now, Nadal, Djokovic, and Naomi Osaka get my vote for the best players of 2021. I just hope some former “best players” can keep fighting them for titles!
(Ben Hershey/Unsplash)
