Roger Federer returned to Majors a year ago after 500 days away from the most significant tennis scene. Dealing with a knee injury, Federer took a break after the 2020 Australian Open, and his next Major event came at the last year’s Roland Garros.
Roger returned in Doha in March and took more time off before embracing a clay swing in Geneva and Paris. Playing at home in Geneva, Federer lost in the first match to an experienced clay-courter Pablo Andujar 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
The Swiss played well after the opener but failed to bring the victory home. Federer got broken at 4-5 in the opening set and raised his level in the second. He lost five points behind the initial shot and seized a break at 1-1 to move in front.
Serving well in the rest of the set, Federer closed it in game ten and gathered momentum ahead of the decider. Hitting well from both wings, Roger built a 4-2 lead and moved closer to the finish line. In only his second loose service game of the match, Federer got broken at 4-3 when Andujar placed a forehand winner to bring more drama.
Losing ground in those moments, Roger suffered another break at 4-5, saving the first two match points with winners before falling on the third to finish on the losing side.
Roger Federer made changes ahead of Roland Garros in comparison to Geneva.
Eager to improve his game, Federer played on a much higher level in the Roland Garros first match, storming over Denis Istomin 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 in an hour and 33 minutes.
Playing aggressive tennis on both serve and return, Roger dominated the shortest exchanges and kept the initial shot safe. He dropped only 13 points in his games and delivered five breaks to move over the top in style and score the first Major victory since the last year’s Australian Open.
Roger did not like some elements of his game in Geneva, calling his performance a joke and hoping for a better run in Paris. “I promised myself that I would not be as far behind the baseline on the return as I did in Geneva.
It was a complete joke. I was not feeling well there and wanted to try it with the sledgehammer. I have more clarity in my head now,” Roger Federer said.
