Legends never die. Invited this Friday to the Australian Open for a little training with Casper Ruud, Roger Federer proved why he was one of the best players in history. Acclaimed by the public when he entered the court, the Swiss exchanged a few balls with the 13th in the world and even beat him in a tie-break disputed in seven points.
The score is clear: 7-2. With an ace, a wonderful winning backhand and some delicious shots, the man with 20 Grand Slams delighted the audience at the Rod Laver Arena, which was completely full for the occasion. If Ruud undoubtedly did not give his full potential to hold the fight, the Swiss nevertheless showed sublime remains, which almost made his supporters want to demand a final return to competition.
The day before, Roger Federer took part in the press conference, confiding that he was “a little nervous” at the idea of diving into this exercise again. And he confided that tennis was no longer part of his daily life. “Sometimes I book a court and play a little, but it’s hard to make tennis a priority when you have four kids and a lot of other things to manage,” he emphasized.
This Saturday, he will participate in a new event, a doubles alongside Andre Agassi, Patrick Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt. « I’m nervous, excited, super happy to be back here, one of my favorite places to play, and to experience a moment with the public, he assured. I never said goodbye here, suddenly it was over. I’m happy to rip off the bandage and go to Rod Laver Arena. » The public is also delighted.
