Roger Federer's missed Majors since 2000

For the first time in 22 years, the six-time Australian Open champion Roger Federer will not compete in Melbourne, failing to recover in time from a knee injury.

The 39-year-old Swiss is the record-holder with 79 Major appearances on his tally, seeking the milestone 80th in 2021 but not recovering enough to celebrate that achievement in Melbourne in February. Federer hasn't played since the Australian Open in January, struggling with a knee injury and undergoing two surgeries in February and May.

With 362 victories and 20 titles under his belt, Roger is one of the most decorated players of all time at Major events, dominating between 2004-2009 and adding three more titles between 2017-18, after a long break. Federer made a Major debut at Roland Garros 1999 at 17, losing to world no. 3 Patrick Rafter in four sets. Since the Australian Open 2000, Roger had competed in 65 consecutive Major tournaments until the Australian Open 2016, setting the record (surpassed by Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez) before skipping Roland Garros and the US Open that year, struggling with a left knee injury and undergoing surgery in February.

Making a remarkable comeback in 2017, Federer won the Australian Open and skipped the entire clay swing, recharging batteries and securing another trophy at Wimbledon. In 2018, the Swiss stayed away from the clay Major for the third straight year, returning in 2019 when he embraced his full season at Majors for the first time since 2015.

In the season behind us, Roger had to stay away from the US Open and Roland Garros (Wimbledon had to close its gates for the first time since 1945). The Swiss played only at the Australian Open and suffered an injury that forces him to abandon the first Major of the 2021 season, his seventh overall since 2016.