Federer out 'for at least one month'

The guy who has somehow remained remarkably free of injury or physical ailments / impediments for the overwhelming majority (though of course not the entirety) of his playing career to date has apparently just undergone knee surgery.

Federer's agent is reported as saying that his man will be out for around one month.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2016/02/roger-federer-has-knee-surgery-will-skip-2-tournaments/57503/#.VrHch7dxo-U

The statement did not specify which knee is injured, though said it happened the day after his Australian Open semifinal loss against Novak Djokovic.

That bit is strange - wouldn't he be travelling home then? Anyway, hopefully recovery is straightforward. I wonder if this will affect his schedule for the spring period - it leaves Indian Wells as the only tournament on his schedule until Roland Garros. OK, we know that he was planning on adding at least one clay tournament before RG, but with an unexpected rest period now, does he add in maybe Miami or more of the clay masters? Or stick with the current plan to as fresh as possible for the grass season and Olympics.

YvonneT wrote:http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2016/02/roger-federer-has-knee-surgery-will-skip-2-tournaments/57503/#.VrHch7dxo-U

The statement did not specify which knee is injured, though said it happened the day after his Australian Open semifinal loss against Novak Djokovic.

That bit is strange - wouldn't he be travelling home then? Anyway, hopefully recovery is straightforward. I wonder if this will affect his schedule for the spring period - it leaves Indian Wells as the only tournament on his schedule until Roland Garros. OK, we know that he was planning on adding at least one clay tournament before RG, but with an unexpected rest period now, does he add in maybe Miami or more of the clay masters? Or stick with the current plan to as fresh as possible for the grass season and Olympics.

It's going to be a quiet month with both Roger and Andy not around. Might mean they're in peak form and condition for the clay court and perhaps we'll see them meeting on the dirt at last!!

Guess it depends how minor this is as to when Fed's in peak form/condition. Hopefully it is just one month he's out, though you'd expect him to be a bit rusty in Indian Wells (Murray's break ends with a warm-up in Davis Cup on current plans).

Big shame for Rotterdam to lose him.

Not good. This type of surgery aids quicker healing but according to the NHS website it says if sport is involved then that may be ruled out for several months.

CC - no, not good ..... all surgery has inherent risks of course. This does at least appear to be fairly 'minor' in the greater scheme of things.

(Perhaps the NHS website refers to the recovery period for an average normal individual ...... )

Perhaps lags but the press quoting Roger being out for 'at least a month' I'd say sounds like a month out would be best case scenario.

He went to the Djoko match injured, and sure now did not want to attribute that injury to the loss and ruin Djoko's easy win.

Good luck with recuperation papi.

Inevitable really, he had to eventually develop some niggles.
The most important thing really is he takes LONGER than he eneds, hes not that young to be making quick recoveries and coming back and hurting it more could mean a swift end if hes not careful

I'm tired of saying how this idea he never gets injured is complete nonsense.

- recurrent back problems, many times over many years
- Glandular Fever, and drag-on impacts

Sure, Nadal has had it far worse but Federers injury/illness profile is no better than, say, Berdych (I think!!). Now iof you want a guy who seems blessed on the injury front, look no further than Djokovic!

Get well soon, Federer!

Hes almost never been injured bad enough to be kept out of competition. A few niggles with age yes but his play shows they are not the sort of impairment its sometimes made out as.

This is the first real potentially serious injury ive seen him have in a long time

Well, there is the dreaded injury that could derail all the "play for several more years" thoughts from Federer's camp and fans. Torn meniscus for a 34 year old tennis player will rob some speed and cutting ability- certainly dent his confidence in his movement for awhile. World class treatment will get him near 95-99% but we all know at the level Federer plays and exists in- just a slight drop in anything will show up. Real bummer.

Could have been a fluke twist of the knee the next day, but much more likely he tore it or was on the verge of the tear during the match. Meniscus tears sometimes take a day or two before you even feel them or like a herniation of disc, something gets it to the edge and just a regular task the next day causes the herniation or tear at that moment.

No need to rush back. I would hope he just sits out until grass- tune up in the lead up tournies and then make a run at Wimbledon. That's his real last shot after this IMO. Hardcourts will be brutal for awhile.

This is a positive in that he's fixing himself for maybe 2-3 years ahead...I mean why undergo it for maybe 12 months more playing?
He may also feel he needs more stability in the knee to compete with the top guys, rather than it being a serious condition.

Yes Djokovic is always remarkably injury free given the stress he puts his body under...

Egg chambers! It's the future

Just what I thought...don't get me started on that topic again...lol

A torn meniscus normally needs around 20 weeks of recovery, given Fed say he'll be back in 1-2 months it really cant be that serious at all.

One day lydian when there are no repercussions to third parties everyone can have a gloves off debate and through everything into the mix

Hope he makes a swift recovery.

LK

banbrotam wrote:It's going to be a quiet month with both Roger and Andy not around. Might mean they're in peak form and condition for the clay court and perhaps we'll see them meeting on the dirt at last!!

...or it might mean that, given Federer's age, he will find it too difficult to come back to full strength, and will retire sooner rather than later...

...or it might mean that Federer realized, one day after his SF loss to Djokovic, that he did not really feel like playing Rotterdam and Dubai, and made the whole thing up....

...let's see; hopefully he will be good for grass and HCs.

temporary21 wrote:Hes almost never been injured bad enough to be kept out of competition. A few niggles with age yes but his play shows they are not the sort of impairment its sometimes made out as.

This is the first real potentially serious injury ive seen him have in a long time

"A few niggles with age"

This ignores the facts.

Its a meniscus injury, people. The world hasn't collapsed within itself. If he rehabs it alright he'll be fine. Probably fell awkwardly or got up wrong. At his age with the amount of shock he's meniscus has had to endure, its always a threat.

bogbrush wrote:

temporary21 wrote:Hes almost never been injured bad enough to be kept out of competition. A few niggles with age yes but his play shows they are not the sort of impairment its sometimes made out as.

This is the first real potentially serious injury ive seen him have in a long time

"A few niggles with age"

This ignores the facts.

I think everyone accepts he has had some injuries (2013 in hindsight is accepted as a write-off). However, he has clearly had good luck with injury. He hasn't missed a slam in his entire career. The back problem (other than 2013 and the odd match before) has been manageable and I think the only other issue I can recall was the injury in late 2005. Of course, Novak is even more incredible in this regard and Berdy/Ferrer have also been remarkably injury-free.

BS - yes, a number of players do seem to have enjoyed some good fortune where injuries are concerned - or at least the sort of injuries that lead to enforced absences from the Tour.

Berdych and Ferrer have both been relatively trouble-free ; and Djokovic, as you say, has now gone for a very long stretch with no significant issues or withdrawals.

Ferrer is pretty special because he & Federer are close age-wise, whereas Djokovic is around five/six years younger so could very likely be more susceptible as he gets into his thirties.

I guess where Fed has done unusually well is in being able to complete at every Slam and (for the most part) a fairly full Tour schedule over so many years. And yet with all those miles on the clock, you would expect him to be at greater risk than other players : he has played well over 400 ATP matches more than either Djokovic or Berdych, and even the evergreen Ferrer still trails Federer by over 300 matches.

In terms of sheer longevity, I think Jimbo's record of 1532 matches played is looking pretty safe.

Well it must remember Federer turned pro in 1998 so it is no surprise he has played so much more matches than Djokovic certainly (who turned pro in 2003 some five years later). If Djokovic continues playing competitively for say five years after Federer has retired I'd say the final figures will be similar.

Except Federers injuries / issue extend back to when he was younger than Djokovic.

Djokovic did have that nasty shoulder issue at the end of 2011 didn't he?

Feds has had his issues sure, but has largely been able to manage them, as his slam records attest (attendance, number of consecutive SFs/QFs, etc.)

I agree that the myth of him never getting injured is just that, a myth, but he's had considerably fewer problems with injuries than most on tour still.

bogbrush wrote:Except Federers injuries / issue extend back to when he was younger than Djokovic.

But still has never missed a slam through injury/illness. These 'issues' can't have been any worse than 'issues' other pros encounter throughout their career. I mean Rafa has missed at least 7 slams through injury, Murray has missed 3 slams and a plethora of players have been much greater blighted by injury such as Del Potro and Soderling. Djokovic is on a par with Federer having never missed a slam through injury and if he coninues on this dominant streak and plays to a similar age as Federer the end figures will be very similar.

Berdych is actually in with a shot at catching Fed on the consecutive slams played. He's played every one since US 03 - when he'd have been 17 (Fed's run goes back to Oz 00). Particularly remarkable given what a big guy he is.

Novak has played every one since Oz 05.

Hope Fed gets back quickly by the way. Does feel like this is the best time for it to happen this year, as I can't see him doing much on clay. He can have a relatively gentle spell back into it and hopefully be at full throttle for Wimbledon, OG and US.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

bogbrush wrote:Except Federers injuries / issue extend back to when he was younger than Djokovic.

But still has never missed a slam through injury/illness. These 'issues' can't have been any worse than 'issues' other pros encounter throughout their career. I mean Rafa has missed at least 7 slams through injury, Murray has missed 3 slams and a plethora of players have been much greater blighted by injury such as Del Potro and Soderling. Djokovic is on a par with Federer having never missed a slam through injury and if he coninues on this dominant streak and plays to a similar age as Federer the end figures will be very similar.

Hmm, I don't recall saying he's been especially injury prone. Just not this miracle guy people make out. This is the point - not the one you seem to be answering.

Whilst he's not skipped a Slam he's turned up with a dodgy back a few times and (in)famously with mono.

Born Slippy wrote:Hope Fed gets back quickly by the way. Does feel like this is the best time for it to happen this year, as I can't see him doing much on clay. He can have a relatively gentle spell back into it and hopefully be at full throttle for Wimbledon, OG and US.

Yes, this phase has become worse and worse for him anyway in recent years.

bogbrush wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:

bogbrush wrote:Except Federers injuries / issue extend back to when he was younger than Djokovic.

But still has never missed a slam through injury/illness. These 'issues' can't have been any worse than 'issues' other pros encounter throughout their career. I mean Rafa has missed at least 7 slams through injury, Murray has missed 3 slams and a plethora of players have been much greater blighted by injury such as Del Potro and Soderling. Djokovic is on a par with Federer having never missed a slam through injury and if he coninues on this dominant streak and plays to a similar age as Federer the end figures will be very similar.

Hmm, I don't recall saying he's been especially injury prone. Just not this miracle guy people make out. This is the point - not the one you seem to be answering.

Whilst he's not skipped a Slam he's turned up with a dodgy back a few times and (in)famously with mono.

And did I say he was a miracle man? Just saying that in terms of being injury hit he has been more fortunate than many others hence he has not missed a slam. He has been ever present at slams for over a decade and a half - so yes he has had injuries (what player hasn't) but nothing serious enough to keep him out of slams.

In general I'd say most players in tennis carry 'niggles' into major tournaments - just that we tend not to hear about them unless they become something more serious thereafter. Obviously in the modern day then the most unlucky with injuries has to be Del Potro and Brian Baker with Lleyton Hewitt in there. Nadal (out of the big three) has had the toughest time with injuries.

To be honest this is a relative storm in a teacup...he's taking a small amount of time out for a minor op (arthroscopy) on a relatively minor injury. I don't see the point of discussing his back catalogue...he's not had a bad run of it.

Indeed, it should be fine, its noteworthy though because tis the first time hes had to have surgery since like 2005 maybe?
His age is always a little worry with recovery time too, well probably see how it goes post RG, I frankly wouldn't think it wise to return on clay that quickly.

It's kind of a wake up call as well that this is the time when various parts from wear and tear will start going. There are a lot of miles on his body now, and as we see with most athletes at that age- a domino affect of issues cropping up can begin.

There is also the compensating for one knee leads to other problems issue.

The big thing though which we have seen Fed talk about with his back, Nadal with his issues, and others is how quickly he mentally becomes 100% confident and can play freely without thinking about it. That's what can affect his movement even if the knee is 100%. Like the incredible run from backcourt to get Djokos dropshot in the 3rd set of the semi- does he go for that after the injury like he did then, or does he hesitate for a split second and costs him the point? Any slight creep of doubt for these guys can affect their levels... we see that time and again.

Yeah, Djokovic is almost as robotic as Federer, at the end of 2011 he was knackered, but now I think out, what real injuries has he had when you could point to a broken/twisted/fractured x, y or z? I can't think of any.

It is a bit curious what happened here. Did he injury himself at the tournament, or was it just some random incident like someone smashed a luggage trolley into him at the airport (something like this happened to Agassi the day after the French Open once if I recall from his book).

I guess the question here is whether he makes it to Indian Wells, which, without checking his actual calendar, I assume he is scheduled to play this year.

I'd presume he is down to play Indian Wells being as it is a Masters 1000 event and given that it is in the second week of March then it gives the knee a little longer recovery time than the month mentioned.

Had lunch with my back surgeon/specialist yesterday. I brought up Federer and the meniscus tear and asked some questions, and he was more downbeat that I would have thought on Fed's longterm outlook. He's not a tennis fan perse and just knows of Federer as anyone would, but his first thought was that with Federers age and the "hard miles" tennis players put into their legs- that a meniscus tear was a career changer. As I knew from my past experience with athtletes- he agreed it would be able to get close to 100% but not fully so. His greater concern and the way he described it was that it was going to be a "real irritant" for Federer after every match and practice and to expect to see him "with an ice pack on his knee for an hour after every match" Said the pain would never go away given what an athlete of his caliber puts it through.

He asked me how long Federer was expecting to play before the injury and I said another 2-3 years. He said- "take one year off of that now" Said results would be slightly impacted for the worse, chronic pain slightly higher so he thought anyone with Fed's money and fame would prob end it quicker than he would have if the tear never happened.

One man's opinion of course, but a highly respected medical one in my neck of the woods.

Interesting T. However, in mitigation Federer is due to be out only for a small period vs. a normal meniscus tear (~6 months), so there's a case it really isn't serious/chronic. We'll just have to see I guess.

It's a factor in the equation of how long he wants to play. If he decides this kills off another Slam, and it means pain, then if it were me I'd call it off.

Is someone going to invent a CVAC for meniscus tears, so we can have an interesting debate on this injury as well?

Fed pulls out of Indian wells, and enters Monte Carlo. So he's out until April now.

I'm encouraged. He says he's training well and it seems wise to go straight to clay. He'll certainly be fresh and hopefully fit by Wimbledon.

Not surprised, you just don't recover that quickly from a meniscus tear, plus was returning back to slow HC the wisest choice anyway? Would have really jarred the knee, MC/clay much softer on the body.

My thoughts exactly.

He didn't play Miami last year so will only really miss one more tournament. Agree that it was probably over-optimistic to expect him to get over this in time to play IW.

Fed not retiring in 2016 then according to image above

Loved his Twitter comment on the update pic below:

"Rarely felt so happy to be back on a practice court”

Only downside is Fed got to 2015 IW final so that's 500pts gone...but hey he's got >8000 so shouldn't be a problem. He does have a stack of points to defend from Wimb to USO though...