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Lindsey Vonn is a big Roger Federer fan. The former top skier hopes for the maestro to return soon and says why Federer will forever remain the greatest, even without a Grand Slam record.
In 2019, Lindsey Vonn ended her extremely successful career at the age of 34 with 82 World Cup victories. The American would have liked to continue, but persistent knee problems prevented her career from continuing.
Roger Federer also had more and more physical problems towards the end of his career. In 2020, the Swiss could only play six games before he had to undergo knee surgery. Will the injuries also force Federer, who is soon to be 40, to quit? “He wants to play tennis as long as he can. Like I was skiing. But at some point the body might say: ‘No, it’s too much.’ I don’t know where Roger is in this process, “Vonn says in an interview with” Blick “.
Nevertheless, she is sure that Federer will return to the tennis tour soon. “He has such a great passion for tennis – that’s why he plays so long. He gives so much to the sport. ” Roger is the reason why she even watches tennis, says Vonn: “The sport is no longer the same without him. I hope he will return soon. “
“For me, Roger will always be the greatest”
Rafal Nadal was able to catch up with Federer in terms of Grand Slam titles with his triumph at this year’s French Open, and now has 20 on his account. But even if the Spaniard should trump the Swiss one day, Vonn Federer still has the GOAT.
«I have a lot of respect for Nadal. What he showed – especially on sand – is incredible, ”she says. «But I was and am a Roger fan until the end. For me, Roger will always be the greatest champion of all time. He plays with so much grace, is so balanced. And he’s wonderful to the fans and people. You can hardly do better than Roger. “
After all, it’s not just sporting success that counts in the GOAT debate, says Vonn. «Records are important, of course. (…) But there is that certain something that you have to have otherwise. To overcome barriers that go beyond the sport and to convey it there. ” Such people are more than just athletes. “Not everyone is like that – but Roger is quite sure.”
Vonns’ 82 world cup victories in the ski circus are a record. But with Mikaela Shiffrin, who at the age of 25 already has 66 victories, she can feel the breath of a compatriot on her neck. It is “only a matter of time” before Shiffrin will overtake her, says the 36-year-old. “But that’s the way it is: If Nadal breaks Rogers’ record, some will say he is now the greatest. For others, Roger still stays ahead. These discussions will always be there. “
