ATP: Federer still not fit: “I’ve been feeling my hand for a long time.”

Roger Federer suffered a number of heavy defeats in 2018 and failed in the semi-finals of the Nitto ATP finals at the end of the season. The Swiss doesn’t look for excuses, but maybe he has an explanation.

He felt it for the first time last June, explained Roger Federer in an interview with the Tages-Anzeiger. The Swiss spoke for the first time about an injury to his right hand after his elimination in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. This one still doesn’t seem to be cured.

“It’s not supposed to sound like an excuse, but the problem with my hand affects my rhythm throughout the summer,” explains Federer, who had to put up with some heavy defeats in the summer months of 2ß18. In the final in Halle, the aforementioned semi-final in Wimbledon, in the Cincinnati final and in the early failure at the US Open, the “Maestro” seemed far away from his actual abilities.

After the tournament in London Federer hopes that he will be able to get rid of the continuing problems with his right hand, which are limiting him especially in the forehand, on holiday: “Maybe it influenced me in the decisive moments in Wimbledon. I’ve felt the hand for a long time, even here in London (ATP finals, editor’s note). I hope it’s completely gone after the vacation.”

The main thing for Federer, however, was that he was able to play the year to the end, the 37-year-old continued. The defeat in the finals semi-finals against the later winner Alexander Zverev didn’t stop his season: “If you win a major and can still play at my age, then you have to be satisfied. If I had been offered this season six years ago, I would have taken it,” said FedEx at the final press conference in London.

In fact, especially at the beginning of the year, Federer put a dream run on the tennis courts of the world. The Swiss was undefeated in 17 games, defended his title at the Australian Open and returned to the top of the world rankings in Rotterdam. In Indian Wells, they then set the first defeat of the year against Juan Martín del Potro in the final.

Shortly afterwards the Swiss had to pack his bags against Thanasi Kokkinakis in Miami. In the further course of the year, Federer grabbed the titles in Stuttgart and at his home tournament in Basel.

Federer will traditionally start the year at the Hopman Cup in Perth. At the side of Belinda Bencic, Team Switzerland will meet the US-Americans Serena Williams and Frances Tiafoe.