If this doesn’t explain 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer’s mass appeal, nothing will. The Swiss ace had a barren and an injury-plagued 2016; he missed six months of tennis. Federer has now set his sights on the 2017 Australian Open and will play in the Hopman Cup in Perth, which precedes the Grand Slam tournament.
😱 Roger #Federer's entry on #HopmanCup court for... his 1st practise 😱 pic.twitter.com/S6sPTL8D7K
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) December 29, 2016
For a practice session alone, more than 6,000 fans turned up in Perth. The 36-year-old looked lean and fit ahead of the new season. It was quite evident Federer has not lost his touch yet: There were some classy forehand returns and just when one least expected it, he pulled off his classic one-handed backhand return. This happened on multiple occasions.
Every point Federer scored was met with a rousing applause. Coach Ivan Ljubicic, who was playing alongside him, kept a watchful eye on proceedings. With Rafael Nadal also gearing up for a comeback, men’s tennis should get more exciting.
The Hopman Cup gets underway on January 1. Federer will be seen in action on January 2, when Switzerland is expected to meet Great Britain.