Roger Federer unlikely to play Australian Open, suggests coach Ivan Ljubicic
"I think the Australian Open is not a real possibility right now," said the Croat. "But he will go step by step."
Tennis Channel Live: Roger Federer's recovery
Roger Federer likely won't compete at the Australian Open, according to his coach Ivan Ljubicic.
Federer underwent right knee surgery following the 2020 Australian Open and returned to tour this March in Doha, but played just five events overall and aggravated the injury during his exit in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.
The 20-time Grand Slam singles champion had a second procedure on the knee that left him on crutches for several weeks.
While Federer is aiming to return to tour, he will not be fully fit for the first major tournament of 2022, said Ljubicic.
“I think there are very few chances, he is still recovering and knowing him, he wants to be sure he can play to win the tournament and be at 100 per cent,” Ljubicic told Stats Perform.
“So I think the Australian Open is not a real possibility right now. But he will go step by step because he is 40 years old now and he needs to be patient. He cannot recover as quickly as he used to.”
In an interview with Sky Sports, Ljubicic added that Federer "wants to compete again," and that he is "doing rehab" and "slowly recovering" from the surgery. Federer is currently No.16 in the rankings.
Rafael Nadal, who has also been off the tour with injury, is scheduled to play the Australian Open, while Novak Djokovic will not decide until the tournament announces its safety protocols for entry and participation.