Search
Recent Posts
- Djokovic First Meeting vs Rublev; Ruud vs Debutant Norrie | Nitto ATP Finals 2021 Highlights Day 4.
- General information on Peng Shuai - missing tennis player from China.
- WTA chairman skeptical about email from missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai.
- Garbiñe Muguruza vs. Paula Badosa | 2021 WTA Finals Semifinal | WTA Match Highlights.
- Photos.
- Federer's 2021 season recap. Wonder which ONE tournament was 'not freaking required - like totally'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- The 2021 Nitto ATP Finals 5-Second Challenge!
- TOP 7 BEST Left-handed WTA Players.
- Anett Kontaveit vs. Maria Sakkari | 2021 WTA Finals Semifinal | WTA Match Highlights.
- Foot Fault: Yes Or No? Controversy In Medvedev vs Zverev | Nitto ATP Finals 2021 Highlights.
11/17/2021
General information on Peng Shuai - missing tennis player from China.
| Country (sports) |  China |
|---|---|
| Residence | Tianjin, China |
| Born | 8 January 1986 Xiangtan, Hunan |
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Turned pro | 2001 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed both sides) |
| Coach | Carlos Rodríguez |
| Prize money | US$ 9,617,653 |
| Singles | |
|---|---|
| Career record | 497–323 (60.6%) |
| Career titles | 2 |
| Highest ranking | No. 14 (22 August 2011) |
| Current ranking | No. 127 (31 May 2021) |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
|---|---|
| Australian Open | 4R (2011, 2015) |
| French Open | 3R (2011, 2012) |
| Wimbledon | 4R (2011, 2012, 2014) |
| US Open | SF (2014) |
Accusation of being sexually assaulted
On 2 November 2021, Peng posted a lengthy message on her verified Weibo microblog account, accusing Zhang Gaoli, a former senior Chinese vice premier and high-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), of sexual assault, three years earlier. Peng said that Zhang had an on-off extramarital affair with her. This was the first time a member of the top echelons of the CCP faced such sexual misconduct allegations in public.
The accusation drew attention to the #MeToo movement in China. Her post was removed from Weibo within 20 minutes of being uploaded, although screenshots of the posting were saved. All discussion about the matter became subject to blanket censorship on all Chinese social media and news outlets. Since her accusation, and as of 17 November 2021, she has not communicated on social media. When asked about Peng's whereabouts, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said "I have not heard of the issue you raised. This is not a diplomatic question".
On 14 November, the chief executive of WTA Steve Simon called on Chinese authorities to investigate Peng's allegations and also called for an end to official Chinese censorship on the subject. The Chinese Tennis Association sent a confirmation to WTA to inform that Peng is safe and not under any physical threat. However Simon stated that no one associated with the WTA, including officials and active players, had been able to reach her directly to confirm her status.
ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi also issued statement where he expressed deep concern by the uncertainty surrounding the immediate safety and whereabouts of Peng. He also expressed his full support to WTA's investigation into Peng's allegations while stating that they will continue to monitor the situation closely. On 15 November, tennis player Novak Djokovic expressed his shock on Peng's disappearance, in comments to reporters after winning his ATP Finals opener. On 16 November, tennis player Naomi Osaka posted a message on Twitter where she demanded answers about the whereabouts of Peng and her allegation of sexual assault.
Peng Shuai (Chinese: 彭帅; pinyin: Péng Shuài; Mandarin pronunciation: [pʰə̌ŋ ʂwâi]; 8 January 1986) is a Chinese professional tennis player. She was ranked world No. 1 doubles by the WTA, the first Chinese tennis player to do so (male or female, and in singles or doubles) in February 2014.
In August 2011, she peaked at No. 14 of the singles rankings. Peng has won two singles and 22 doubles titles. She won a gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games, defeating Akgul Amanmuradova in the final. At the 2013 Wimbledon Championships, Peng won her first ladies' doubles championship with Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan and again won at the 2014 French Open with Hsieh.
Her best performance at a Grand Slam tournament in singles came at the 2014 US Open when she reached the semifinals, becoming the third Chinese tennis player in history to make a major semifinal after Zheng Jie and Li Na.
Peng is known for playing with two hands on both sides and hits very flat. She has defeated many top-10 and top-5 players, including Anastasia Myskina, Elena Dementieva, Kim Clijsters, Amélie Mauresmo, Francesca Schiavone, Jelena Janković, Agnieszka Radwańska, Marion Bartoli, and Vera Zvonareva.
Peng received recent attention when she accused former senior Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli of sexually assaulting her, followed by her abrupt disappearance and Chinese censorship, which in turn sparked growing worldwide concerns over her safety.
![Peng Shuai [Tennis Player] Wiki, Biography, Age, Ethnicity, Husband](https://arealnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Peng-Shuai.jpg)
|
|
WTA chairman skeptical about email from missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai.
Steve Simon, chairman and CEO of the WTA, said in a statement on Wednesday that he doesn't believe a recent email he received is actually from missing Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai.
Peng bravely accused former top government official Zhang Gaoli of sexual assault on Nov. 2 using the Chinese social media platform Weibo. The post was quickly removed and all discussion about Peng and her accusation were censored from the platform. Since then, she hasn't been seen or heard from publicly.
CGTN, the international arm of China's state-owned media organization, used Twitter on Wednesday to publish a email that they said was written by Peng and sent to Simon. The email, in which Peng ostensibly says she's safe and "resting at home," uses several suspicious phrases and completely recants her earlier accusation of sexual assault.
Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has sent an email to Steve Simon, the WTA Chairman & CEO, CGTN has learned. The email reads: pic.twitter.com/uLi6Zd2jDI
— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) November 17, 2021
In his statement, Simon said that he has "a hard time believing" Peng wrote that email or that she would recant her sexual assault accusation.
Steve Simon, the WTA’s CEO, is as concerned as the rest of us. pic.twitter.com/4RumnwLfG8
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) November 17, 2021
"The statement released today by Chinese state media concerning Peng Shuai only raises my concerns as to her safety and whereabouts.
"I have a hard time believing that Peng Shuai actually wrote the email we received or believes what is being attributed to her. Peng Shuai displayed incredible courage in describing an allegation of sexual assault against a former top official in the Chinese government. The WTA and the rest of the world need independent and verifiable proof that she is safe. I have repeatedly tried to reach her via numerous forms of communication, to no avail.
"Peng Shuai must be allowed to speak freely, without coercion or intimidation from any source. Her allegation of sexual assault must be respected, investigated with full transparency and without censorship.
"The voices of women need to be heard and respected, not censored nor dictated to."
Simon told Time on Wednesday that he's received word from the Chinese Tennis Association that Peng is safe in Beijing, but that he'd rather hear that from Peng herself. He's tried numerous methods to get in touch with her but has not been successful.
“I will remain worried until I am able to speak with her, or she speaks with somebody in our organization, whomever she’s comfortable with,” says Simon. “So that we can be assured that she’s OK and where she’s at. And that she knows we’re here to support her in any way that we can. That’s our number one priority. The other things are secondary.”
In an earlier statement, the Simon and the WTA called for a full investigation into Peng's accusations. According to Time, Simon has threatened to move all WTA tournaments out of China if the government doesn't launch an investigation, a move that would cost the WTA, China and advertisers billions of dollars.
Naomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic concerned for Peng's safety
Some of the world's top tennis players have publicly expressed concern that she hasn't been seen or heard from in over two weeks. On Tuesday, Naomi Osaka tweeted the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai along with a picture and a short statement hoping that Peng and her family are safe.
At the ATP Finals in Turin, Novak Djokovic said he was shocked that Peng is missing, and can't imagine how her family must feel.
“I don't have much information about it," Djokovic said via Eurosport. "I did hear about it a week ago. Honestly, it's shocking that she's missing, more so that it's someone that I have seen on the tour in the previous years quite a few times.
"It's not much more to say than hope that she will be found, that she's OK. It's just terrible. I can imagine just how her family feels that she's missing."
https://sports.yahoo.com/wta-chairman-skeptical-about-email-from-missing-chinese-tennis-player-peng-shuai-215618347.html
|
|
Photos.
US tennis player Venus Williams attends the AFI Fest premiere of "King Richard" at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on November 14, 2021. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR/AFP via Getty Images)
TOPSHOT - US tennis players Serena Williams (L) and Venus Williams attend the AFI Fest premiere of "King Richard" at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on November 14, 2021. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR/AFP via Getty Images)
Alexis Ohanian (L), US tennis player Serena Williams (C) and daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. attend the AFI Fest premiere of "King Richard" at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on November 14, 2021. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR/AFP via Getty Images)
US tennis players Serena Williams attends the AFI Fest premiere of "King Richard" at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on November 14, 2021. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR/AFP via Getty Images)
(From L) Actress Demi Singleton, US tennis player Serena Williams, US actor Will Smith, US tennis player Venus Williams and Actress Saniyya Sidney attend the AFI Fest premiere of "King Richard" at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on November 14, 2021. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR/AFP via Getty Images)
(From L) Actress Demi Singleton, US tennis player Serena Williams, US tennis player Venus Williams and actress Saniyya Sidney attend the AFI Fest premiere of "King Richard" at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on November 14, 2021. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR/AFP via Getty Images)
US tennis players Serena Williams attends the AFI Fest premiere of "King Richard" at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on November 14, 2021. (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR / AFP) (Photo by LISA O'CONNOR/AFP via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 17: Former tennis player Pat Cash attends the UK Premiere of "King Richard" at The Curzon Mayfair on November 17, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 17: "King Richard" cast Will Smith, Demi Singleton (C) and Saniyya Sidney (R) are presented with Wimbledon sports bags by Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative players, after surprising them during a coaching session today at Wimbledon on November 17, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Warner Bros.)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 17: Will Smith is pictured as "King Richard" cast Will Smith, Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney surprise Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative players during a coaching session today at Wimbledon on November 17, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Warner Bros.)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 17: "King Richard" cast Will Smith, Demi Singleton and Saniyya Sidney surprise Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative players during a coaching session today at Wimbledon on November 17, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Warner Bros.)
MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 17: (R-L) Rafa Nadal, his mother Ana Maria Parera and his wife Xisca Perello attend the 10th anniversary of Rafa Nadal Foundation at the Perez Llorca auditorium on November 17, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 17: Rafa Nadal attends the 10th anniversary of Rafa Nadal Foundation at the Perez Llorca auditorium on November 17, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 17: (R-L) Rafa Nadal, his mother Ana Maria Parera and his wife Xisca Perello attend the 10th anniversary of Rafa Nadal Foundation at the Perez Llorca auditorium on November 17, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 17: Rafa Nadal's wife, Xisca Perello attends the attends the 10th anniversary of Rafa Nadal Foundation at the Perez Llorca auditorium on November 17, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 17: Rafa Nadal's wife, Xisca Perello attends the attends the 10th anniversary of Rafa Nadal Foundation at the Perez Llorca auditorium on November 17, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 17: Rafa Nadal (R), his wife Xisca Perello (L) and Rafa Nadal Foundation director Eunate Gomez (C) attend the 10th anniversary of Rafa Nadal Foundation at the Perez Llorca auditorium on November 17, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 17: Rafa Nadal attends the 10th anniversary of Rafa Nadal Foundation at the Perez Llorca auditorium on November 17, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
16 November 2021, Hamburg: Steffi Graf sits in the music hall of the Regional Education and Counselling Centre (ReBBZ) in the Wilhelmsburg district during her visit. Graf has further expanded her social commitment in Hamburg. Together with school senator Rabe, the project "Honighelden", which the former tennis star supports with his foundation "Children for Tomorrow", opened a therapy practice for refugee children at the ReBBZ. (to dpa "Thanks to Steffi Graf: Therapy practice for refugee children opened") Photo: Marcus Brandt/dpa (Photo by Marcus Brandt/picture alliance via Getty Images)
dpatop - 16 November 2021, Hamburg: Steffi Graf sits in a therapy room at the Regional Education and Counselling Centre (ReBBZ) in the Wilhelmsburg district. Graf has further expanded her social commitment in Hamburg. Together with school senator Rabe, the project "Honighelden", which the former tennis star supports with his foundation "Children for Tomorrow", opened a therapy practice for refugee children at the ReBBZ. (to dpa "Thanks to Steffi Graf: Therapy practice for refugee children opened") Photo: Marcus Brandt/dpa (Photo by Marcus Brandt/picture alliance via Getty Images)
16 November 2021, Hamburg: Steffi Graf sits in the music hall of the Regional Education and Counselling Centre (ReBBZ) in the Wilhelmsburg district during her visit. Graf has further expanded her social commitment in Hamburg. Together with school senator Rabe, the project "Honighelden", which the former tennis star supports with his foundation "Children for Tomorrow", opened a therapy practice for refugee children at the ReBBZ. (to dpa "Thanks to Steffi Graf: Therapy practice for refugee children opened") Photo: Marcus Brandt/dpa (Photo by Marcus Brandt/picture alliance via Getty Images)
TURIN, ITALY - NOVEMBER 16: Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates after winning his singles Round Robin Red Group match against Hurbert Hurkacz of Poland on Day Three of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at Pala Alpitour on November 16, 2021 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Giampiero Sposito/Getty Images)
|
|
Federer's 2021 season recap. Wonder which ONE tournament was 'not freaking required - like totally'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 |
Wimbledon London, Great Britain2021.06.28 - 2021.07.11 |
|
| Round | Rank | Opponent | W-L | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter-Finals | 18 |
 |
L | 36 674 06 |
| Round of 16 | 27 |
 |
W | 75 64 62 |
| Round of 32 | 34 |
 |
W | 64 64 57 64 |
| Round of 64 | 56 |
 |
W | 761 61 64 |
| Round of 128 | 41 |
|
W | 64 673 36 62 00 (RET) |
This Event Points: 360, ATP Ranking: 8, Prize Money: £300,000
 |
Halle Halle, Germany2021.06.14 - 2021.06.20 |
|
| Round | Rank | Opponent | W-L | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | 21 |
 |
L | 64 36 26 |
| Round of 32 | 90 |
 |
W | 764 75 |
This Event Points: 45, ATP Ranking: 8, Prize Money: €25,480
|
Roland Garros Paris, France2021.05.31 - 2021.06.13 |
|
| Round | Rank | Opponent | W-L | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | 9 |
|
L | (W/O) |
| Round of 32 | 59 |
 |
W | 765 673 764 75 |
| Round of 64 | 47 |
 |
W | 62 26 764 62 |
| Round of 128 | 204 |
 |
W | 62 64 63 |
This Event Points: 180, ATP Ranking: 8, Prize Money: €170,000
 |
Geneva Geneva, Switzerland2021.05.17 - 2021.05.22 |
|
| Round | Rank | Opponent | W-L | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 16 | 75 |
 |
L | 46 64 46 |
| Round of 32 |
Bye
|
This Event Points: 0, ATP Ranking: 8, Prize Money: €9,000
|
|
Review: Tennis comes 2nd in inspirational ‘King Richard’.
“ King Richard ” is exactly what you think it will be, which isn’t a bad thing.
This is the story of the father of tennis greats Venus Williams and Serena Williams when they were just a few (extremely) talented kids from Compton trying to break into the elite sport with little more than heart and persistence. Will Smith stars and produced. The Williams family was involved. Beyoncé did an original song. It has “Oscar bait” written all over it.
But the difference between this and your run-of-the-mill “bait,” which is too cynical a term to glom onto something that’s so sincere, is that “King Richard” is good. It’s moving and inspiring, even if it’s not exactly inspired. And perhaps most importantly, it doesn’t do too much glossy revisionism on behalf of its complicated and flawed central subject. It just lets the contradictions live and the movie, and Smith’s performance, are richer for it.
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (“Joe Bell,” “Monsters and Men”) off a script by Zach Baylin in his first credited screenplay, this is the story of Richard Williams (Smith), a father who, along with his wife Brandy (Aunjanue Ellis), has big plans for his kids. This focus may immediately rub some the wrong way. Why the father and not the tennis superstars? Well, it’s an interesting part of two of the best stories in American sports.
Richard, it seems, had a lot of ideas that didn’t work out — he was a consummate hustler who always had some business idea brewing. The failures hardly seem to matter though because one idea did work out and that was to get his daughters into tennis. The sometimes humiliating relentlessness in spite of so many rejections and obstacles is easier to watch because we know the end result.
The film does a good job balancing the sports with the story of this family. Richard introduced running drills with the girls, Venus (Saniyya Sidney) and Serena (Demi Singleton), on their run-down courts in South Central Los Angeles. But it’s not just sports greatness that Richard is focused on, he wants his girls to be well rounded humans. Humility and education are just as important. And the girls, for the most part, don’t seem to mind the rigor since they believe in the goal as well, though tensions boil over eventually.
Smith is as good as he has ever been as this man who has clearly been beaten down, literally and figuratively, in life but isn’t going to let that get in the way of him helping his girls achieve excellence. He lets his movie-star shine dim ever so slightly and disappears into Richard, a guy who we really believe would be so easily dismissed by so many.
Both girls, by the way, are terrific, although Sidney as Venus gets more time to shine just by nature of the story. She is the one who gets fancy coaches, first one in Los Angeles played by Tony Goldwyn, and then Rick Macci (Jon Bernthal) who will take her to the pros. The sisters have a sweet relationship and clearly adore their father, even when they get frustrated by his self-promotional antics and his occasionally mystifying efforts to protect them.
The main problem with “King Richard’s” long runtime is that by the first hour you may be crawling out of your skin wanting to get up and do something... anything. And you don’t get that kind of motivation from just any sports biopic.
There are, hopefully, still many stories left to be told about the phenom of the Williams sisters. But “King Richard” is a very good start.
“King Richard,” a Warner Bros. release in theaters and on HBO Max Friday, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for “brief drug references, a sexual reference, some violence and strong language.” Running time: 148 minutes. Three stars out of four.
https://sports.yahoo.com/review-tennis-comes-2nd-inspirational-131934513.html
|
|
Roger Federer poised to miss Wimbledon next year – but Centre Court curtain call remains the focus.
Roger Federer says that he does not want his 6-0 "bagel" set against Hubert Hurkacz to be his final act as a tennis professional, and hopes to make one more miraculous comeback – even if it is not until late next year.
Federer lost 6-3, 7-6, 6-0 to Hurkacz in this summer's Wimbledon quarter-final, and did not play again all season because of a third operation on his troublesome right knee. He turned 40 in early August.
Rumours were swirling that he might soon announce his retirement. But Federer felt otherwise. It was he who contacted the Swiss-German daily newspaper Tages-Anzeiger to reveal details of his physical condition as well as his dreams of one last tilt at the big titles.
Speaking to the paper's tennis correspondent Mathieu Aeschmann, Federer explained that his latest injury had been particularly troublesome, and that he was unlikely to play next year’s Wimbledon because of the lengthy rehabilitation process.
"I wanted to wait for the first major check-up before making a public statement, and the check-up was very encouraging," said Federer.
"I have started a long rehabilitation process in which I put all my heart and soul. But the situation is not the same as in 2016" – the year when he sensationally returned from a six-month absence to win the Australian Open the following January.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion said he would be able to resume running in January and return to training on the court in March or April. "I need to be very patient and give my knee the time to heal. The next few months will be crucial," Federer said.
As far as retirement is concerned, he explained that he does not want his fans' last memory of him to be that mediocre display against Hurkacz at Wimbledon, when the pain in his knee had restricted his movement to the point of powerlessness.
"I think that every athlete should decide for himself," Federer said. "There is no right time to retire. There is only the time that suits each individual athlete. It is a very personal decision.
"What kind of image will people remember of me? My last set at Wimbledon last July? Or my Grand Slam titles and what it triggered in them when they watched me play? My money is on the latter. For a few years now, I've been pretty relaxed about that.
"But I understand the fans' feelings. It would be easy for me to say 'I've given a lot and received a lot. Let's stop here.' But me investing everything to come back is also my way of saying 'thank you'. My fans deserve better than the image of my last grass season.
"My world will not collapse if I never play in another Grand Slam final. But it is my ultimate dream to return once again. And in fact, I still believe in it. I believe in these kinds of miracles."
Federer added that he had anticipated a disappointing Wimbledon as soon as he lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round of his grass-court warm-up in Halle, Germany. It was the first time he had failed to reach the semi-finals there in 20 years.
"When you get right down to it, it doesn't make much difference whether I return in 2022 or not until 2023, at 40 or 41," Federer concluded. "The question is rather 'Will I manage to torture myself again day after day for my comeback?' My heart says 'yes' today. So I'm taking things step by step.
"I have experienced similar challenges many times in my career, sometimes without the public being aware of it. And even though I know that the end is near, I want to try to play some big matches again. It won't be easy, but I will try."
Federer targets another deep SW19 run - and fitting Centre Court curtain call
Analysis by Simon Briggs
For Roger Federer, there is the tennis tour – and then there is Wimbledon. Here is one reason why he is so desperate to return for a final tilt: because he doesn't want his last act on the cathedral of Centre Court to be that 6-0 "bagel" set against Hubert Hurkacz from July 7.
Federer’s interview with Tages-Anzeiger makes his thinking clear. He doesn't expect to be fully match-fit by the time next summer's Wimbledon comes around, and has little intention of showing up in sketchy shape, especially after the way he struggled there this year on a damaged right knee.
Instead, Federer is clearly working towards the 2023 season, where he hopes to give a proper account of himself. He pointed out that "it doesn't make much difference whether I return in 2022 or not until 2023, at 40 or 41", before adding that something special could still be possible at that advanced age. "I believe in these kinds of miracles," he said. "I have already experienced them."
Wimbledon’s Centre Court has a symbolic appeal to players like Federer. But also, on a practical level, it is also much easier to collect cheap wins there. The majority of young players move like prop forwards on ice as soon as they shift from the predictability of a hard court to the living, breathing surface that is grass.
This is why both Federer and Andy Murray still believe that they can inflict serious damage at Wimbledon, even when far past their prime. Just as Murray reached the quarter-finals on one hip in 2017, so Federer did the same thing on one knee this year.
They make up for their physical limitations with an instinctive understanding of how to play on grass, using plenty of slices and low balls rather than the tour's go-to method of heavy topspin.
In his mind's eye, Federer is probably thinking that he can spend 2022 building up his leg strength to cover for the weaknesses in that right knee, before embarking on the tour early in 2023.
Then he will aim for a deep and dignified run at Wimbledon, bagel-free this time, followed by one last interview with Sue Barker. A wave to his devoted fans, and it will be back to his home village in Switzerland for the next act of his graceful life.
https://sports.yahoo.com/roger-federer-miss-australian-open-071925531.html
|
|
Recent Comments