The 20-time Major champion
Roger Federer will make a long-awaited return at the ATP 250 Doha event in March, eager to extend his career and fight for big titles again.
Roger hasn't played since the last year's Australian Open, experiencing two knee surgeries in February and May and skipping the rest of the season. Setting eyes on a fresh start in 2021, Roger decided to skip the Australian Open and spend a couple of more weeks on the practice court, hoping to get back at 100% before the first encounter.
Alex Corretja said that the entire tennis world waits to see Roger on the court again, knowing he won't be around forever. Also, the Spaniard stated that Roger made the right decision after choosing Doha as the return stop, as he can use it to gain momentum and find the rhythm again after the most extended break of his career.
"Roger is a unique player; everywhere he goes, everyone adores him. He has been away for a while, and everybody is waiting for him to play again. His Doha return drew positive reactions from the entire world of tennis. We are always going to miss those crucial players for our sport. It's time to start realizing that they won't be there sooner or later, and we will have to get used to that.
It's life, and those things happen; that's why we have to enjoy them while they play. Making a Doha return is such a great idea; it gives you more time to get used to it. If Roger receives a bye, he may skip a potentially tough match; you also don't play every day. After such a long break from the Tour, the most important thing is to compete again and grab the rhythm; starting on the lower-level event can provide you precisely that.
Nowadays, it's almost the same at the ATP 250 as it is at the ATP 500 tournament because of the high quality, but it gives you time to get the rhythm you need," Alex Corretja said.