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'Gutted': Tennis world erupts over 'devastating' Roger Federer news

Seen here, Roger Federer reveals on Instagram that he will be out for months after having more knee surgery.
Roger Federer's new announcement on Instagram has left tennis fans gutted. Pic: Instagram

Roger Federer has made a heartbreaking new announcement on social media that has left the tennis world shattered, after revealing that he will undergo more knee surgery.

The 20-time grand slam champion has been struggling to battle back from multiple knee surgeries already, but admits the latest setback will keep him out of tennis for "many months".

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Federer's sad revelation casts serious doubts on his future in the sport, with many fans convinced more than ever that the 40-year-old's retirement is imminent.

The Swiss maestro has stopped short of suggesting that himself and seemed determined to fight back to full fitness and return to the courts, however it has ruled out any slim hopes he had of competing at the upcoming US Open.

"I will be on crutches for many weeks and out of the game for many months," 20-time Grand Slam title winner Federer said in a video posted on his Instagram account.

The decision immediately rules him out of the US Open, where he has been champion five times and which starts in two weeks' time.

Pictured here, Roger Federer leaving the court after his loss to Hubert Hurkacz in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
Roger Federer leaves centre court after his loss to Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter finals at Wimbledon in 2021. Pic: Getty

"I want to give myself a glimmer of hope to return to the tour in some shape or form," added Federer.

"I am realistic, don't get me wrong. I know how difficult it is at my age to go through another surgery. I will try it. I want to be healthy, I want to be running around."

Federer, who has played just 13 matches in 2021, underwent two knee surgeries in 2020 when he played only six times.

He had already pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics to rest his knee.

The latest setback left his legion of fans gutted on social media, with many fearing the worst for the 40-year-old.

Federer withdrew from this year's French Open after reaching the fourth round and was knocked out in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, a tame 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-0 loss to Poland's Hubert Hurkacz.

That defeat was only his 14th at the All England Club in 119 matches, and the first time he had been beaten in the tournament in straight sets since a first-round exit at the hands of Mario Ancic in 2002.

It was also the first time he had lost a set 6-0 at Wimbledon and just the third time at a Slam.

"I've been doing a lot of checks with the doctors on my knee," he added on Sunday.

"I hurt myself further during the grass-court season and it's just not the way to go forward.

"They told me to feel better I'll need surgery. I decided to do it."

Seen here, Roger Federer speaks to the media after his loss in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
Roger Federer speaks to the media after his loss in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. (Photo by AELTC/JOE TOTH/AFP via Getty Images)

Roger Federer adjusting to longer recovery time

After turning 40 last weekend, Federer said he was learning to adjust to the fact that recovering from niggles takes two weeks rather than two days.

"It was different before. The questions were simple: what is my place in the ranking? What will my next tournament be?", he told Blick newspaper.

"Today, it's more difficult: how do I feel when I start training again? What are my goals? How to reconcile all this with the family? What does the rest of the team say?

Federer captured his most recent major at the 2018 Australian Open.

He was already well past 36 and the second oldest man to clinch a Slam title

Since then, Novak Djokovic has claimed eight more majors and old rival Rafael Nadal has picked up four.

Both now stand level on 20 Slams with Federer.

Should Federer be preparing to bow out after 23 years on tour, he will leave behind a career decorated by 103 titles — only Jimmy Connors with 109 has more — a combined 310 weeks at number one and more than $130 million in prize money alone.

Later Sunday, the US Open confirmed Federer's withdrawal from the final Grand Slam event of the year with his spot in the draw taken by Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands.

Nadal remains a doubt for the US Open where he is a four-time champion.

The 35-year-old Spaniard suffered a foot injury in his semi-final loss to Djokovic at the French Open in June.

The Spaniard skipped Wimbledon and the Olympics and played just one match in Washington earlier this month before withdrawing from the Toronto and Cincinnati Masters events.

with AFP

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