Roger Federer returns to action at this week’s Qatar Open after two knee operations ended his 2020 season. The Swiss star says he is already setting his sights on the Tokyo Olympics.
“Participation in the Olympics is part of my plan although my main goal was everything from today until Wimbledon, the tournament that precedes the Olympics,” Federer told beIN Sports, via Reuters.
“I hope that I will be fully in [shape] by then and that questions about my knee will stop.”
After he last played in his Australian Open semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic in February 2020, Federer has missed 13 months while rehabbing his knee. He was originally on the entry list for this month’s Masters 1000 stop in Miami, but he withdrew to spend extra time preparing to “work his way back out on tour.”
If he reaches Tokyo, it will mark Federer’s fifth time competing in the Olympics.
Federer made a stunning Olympics debut at the 2000 Sydney Games while ranked No. 36. He reached the semifinals and lost to Germany’s Tommy Haas. After reaching world No.1 in 2004 by winning Wimbledon and the Australian Open, he returned to the Olympics at Athens, losing to Tomas Berdych, a Czech player, in the second round.
Federer eventually won gold in doubles with Stan Wawrinka at Beijing 2008 and earned silver in singles in London in 2012 but missed Rio 2016 due to a knee injury. Despite his all-time record of 20 Grand Slam titles, Federer is still chasing a singles Olympic gold medal.
On Wednesday, Federer will test his rehabbed knee when he faces Britain’s Dan Evans in the second round in Qatar.
