In Doha, the party is already over ... For his return to the circuit after two operations on the right knee and more than 400 days of absence, Roger Federer, 39, had his legs a little heavy and his breath a little short.
Winner Wednesday of Briton Dan Evans after a duel of 2:24, the Swiss did not manage to follow in the quarterfinals against the Georgian Basilashvili (3-6, 6-1, 7-5).
At the end of a rather lucky game, the No. 6 ATP has yet offered a match point at 5-4 on the service of his opponent.
But for the 23rd time in his career, the Balois finally stumbled after having at least one opportunity to conclude ...
Until next time, Roger.
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- ATP Tour (@atptour) March 11, 2021
“He has always been my idol, blows the native of Tbilisi, ten years younger than the Helvetian legend.
It's a dream come true for me to beat him.
The number 42 at ATP made his match.
Solid.
Concluded with a dazzling crossed back.
The former world n ° 1, he alternated the good and the not so good, the dynamism and the slowness of reaction.
Quite logical after such a long absence.
"Honestly, I was afraid to get up," breathes the man with the 20 Grand Slams, who was inundated with messages Wednesday night.
No problem with the knee, the legs were OK but the shoulder a little less.
My body was aching.
Basilashvili hits very hard and heavy, he hurt me on the forehand.
"
See you at Roland-Garros?
But not enough to sulk the pleasure of reunion with the smell of the circuit.
"I am very happy," he slips.
I'm surprised to have served so well during these six sets.
And I expected to play worse in key moments, which I didn't.
"
The Swiss do not yet know if he will line up at home in Dubai next week, but he has already lifted the veil on the rest of his calendar.
He will indeed play the season on clay in order to accumulate matches before Wimbledon, one of his two goals of the year with gold in singles at the Tokyo Olympics.
What hope to see him one more (last?) Time treading the Central Roland-Garro s…