A famous orthopedist discusses Roger Federer’s status

Roger Federer will have his third surgery on his right knee in the past year and a half. A terrible news that has discouraged his followers and all tennis fans. The forfeits at the Tokyo Olympics and the American Masters 1000 did not bode well, so much so that his renunciation of the US Open was almost taken for granted, but no one could imagine such a scenario.

The hopes of reviewing the Swiss phenomenon on the pitch are reduced to a flicker, even if King Roger himself did not want to officially close the curtain. His goal is to return in 2022 at least for a final catwalk, and then announce his retirement at Wimbledon or maybe in Basel.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion has never been clear about the extent of his knee problem, but it is still possible to make some assumptions. A few hours after Federer’s Instagram communication, the ‘New York Times’ contacted Nicholas DiNubile, a US orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee injuries. The latter has hinted that King Roger’s injury is not a trivial matter.

Federer skipped the Tokyo Olympics
This will be the second successive year Roger Federer won’t be part of the US Open. Federer, a five-champion US Open champion, hasn’t won at Flushing Meadows since his last title in 2008. Although he’s been in the final twice since then (2009 and 2015), he has finished as the runner-up on each occasion. “As a knee specialist, it’s a worrisome injury. Going under the knife more times isn’t necessarily better.

At this point, it’s likely not something minor, like a torn meniscus, but arthritis and articular cartilage damage, which tends to occur over time. If the arthritis and wear and tear are very advanced, it is not something that can be fixed with arthroscopy: perhaps it can be treated with regenerative surgery.

Your knee may feel better, but will he be able to compete at the level he wants, especially in a time of so much physical wear and tear and with younger rivals and with more energy than him?”, asked the American doctor.

A complex situation whose solution will take time to find. Federer, who turned 40 this month, has played a handful of matches over the last eighteen months. After the last year’s Australian Open, Federer underwent two arthroscopic right knee surgeries and sat out for the rest of the season due to rehabilitation.

After losing in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, Federer skipped the Tokyo Olympics and subsequently withdrew from the two back-to-back Masters 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati.