Qatar Omnium | Roger Federer returned after 13 months of absence

The Canadian Press

It was not easy for the former world number one, who faced stiff opposition from Britain’s Daniel Evans at the Qatar Open on Wednesday before winning his second round match 7-6 (8), 3-6, 7-5. .

This is the first game Federer has played in the 405 days since the 39 – year – old Swiss underwent two right knee surgeries since appearing at the 2020 Australian Open.

“It’s great to be back,” Federer said in an interview on the pitch.

“I am just happy to be here. It doesn’t matter if I win or lose. However winning the course is more enjoyable. ”

The match lasted for almost two and a half hours and Federer tested his physical condition due to his prolonged absence. The Swiss saved the match point by falling 5-6 in a tiebreaker.

Evans also saved two break points when the score was 3-3 in the set before the duel ended in service.

While traveling, he showed some aspects of his great talent. He ended the first set with a crossover backhand as Evans stormed into the net.

Then, after the match point slipped as he took a 5-4 lead in the third set, he used a powerful parallel backhand near the sideline, with no chance for Evans.

Federer has revealed that he will be back, training with In Hinci Evans and playing more than 20 sets with Britain in recent weeks.

“It’s a very long and difficult road for me. But I loved it,” said the holder of 20 career Grand Slam titles.

“It has been a very big challenge for me since I started my tennis career and coming back to my age is not so easy,” he added.

In the quarterfinals, second seed Federer will face Georgian Nicolas Basilashvili, who defeated Tunisia’s Malaysian Jazir 6-2, 6-2.

Federer, who underwent two right knee operations last year, is the only player in history to have won the Qatar Open three times.

The day before, the Austrian Dominic Theme needed three innings to beat Russian Aslan Karatsev 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2.

The fourth player in the world and the first seed to drop the first set by accepting the theme tiebreaker’s last three points, including two in a row in his service when leading 5-4.

Unable to create a break opportunity in the first set, the team solved Karatsev’s serve in the second set of the second set. The first of his three breaks gave him a 2-0 lead on the set.

He was able to defend this lead to force the third set, which he started with a break in the opening game. Theme, who faced only two break points in his service throughout the match, gave another break in the fifth game.

Karatsev surprised many observers by reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open after having to go through qualifying.

Before elimination at the hands of Novak Djokovic, Karatsev eliminated two sets of zero to knock down Kubaker Felix Agar-Aliassim in the fourth round. After that, Karatsev defeated Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in four sets in the quarterfinals, suffering his first defeat.

Theme will face fifth seed Spaniard Roberto Batista Aguirre in the quarterfinals. Agat defeated Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-3.

In addition, the third seed, Russian Andrei Rublev, advanced to the next round without running the court after losing his Frenchman Richard Gasquet to a leg injury.