'In a little while we will defeat Roger Federer, Nadal, Djokovic', says young ace

• Tennis News
• Roger Federer

Rafael Nadal equaled Roger Federer's record of 20 individual Grand Slam titles in October, winning his 13th Roland Garros. Novak Djokovic will be this Monday, March 8, the male tennis player with the longest tenure in the ATP world number one, he will turn 311, leaving behind the 310 of the Swiss.

Federer has seen his traditional rivals, Nadal and Djokovic, not slow down during their long absence due to the double operation on his right knee. Out of the circuit since he lost the semifinals of the Australian Open 2020, thirteen months later he returns to the tracks, at the ATP 250 in Doha (Qatar), from March 8 to 13.

“My sporting expectations are low, I just want to check how the knee responds. The important thing is that there is no pain, that there is no more injury ”, explained in a press conference Federer, who will turn 40 on August 8.

He assures that there is no preset schedule after his reappearance, he did not even confirm his presence next in the ATP 500 in Dubai. Everything revolves around Wimbledon, from June 28 to July 11. "There I hope to be one hundred percent already." It is his great goal, the basis of his record with eight victories at the All England Club, where he had two match balls for a ninth in the 2019 edition, in the final against Djokovic.

The 'Cathedral' of the grass returns in 2021 after the 2020 cancellation by the pandemic, covered by a generous insurance policy. And Federer sees himself "competing with the best in the big tournaments and hopefully winning." USA's Frances Tiafoe recently shared his thoughts on how the Next Gen could displace the 'Big 3' - Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer - from the top echelons of the sport.

Speaking to Argentina's leading sports daily Ole, Tiafoe assured that the youngsters will be able to bridge the gap between themselves and the famed trio in a few years.

Tiafoe on the Big 3

"In a little while we will defeat them (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic)," Frances Tiafoe said.

"In the top 10 there are five young people, many add tournaments, others are already playing games and putting them on the ropes." World No. 1 Novak Djokovic once again denied the charge of the Next Gen at this year's Australian Open, as he fought past younger opposition in the form of Daniil Medvedev, Aslan Karatsev, Alexander Zverev, Milos Raonic, Taylor Fritz and Tiafoe himself, to triumph in Melbourne for the ninth time.