(Reuters) – Roger Federer will undergo another knee surgery after injuring it during the grasscourt season and will miss the U.S. Open given the rehabilitation process will rule him out of the sport for many months, he said on Sunday.
The 40-year-old Swiss, speaking on a video posted to his Instagram account, said doctors told him that in order for him to feel better he would need surgery.
“I’ll be on crutches for many weeks and then also out of the game for many months,” Federer said.
“It’s going to be difficult of course in some ways but at the same time I know it’s the right thing to do because I want to be healthy and I want to be running around later as well.
Federer, a 20-times Grand Slam singles champion, had two knee surgeries in 2020 which resulted in more than a year of rehabilitation, with the Swiss returning to action in March — 13 months after his Australian Open semi-final exit last year.
He withdrew from the French Open last month despite winning his third-round match to save himself for the grasscourt season, where he sought a record-extending ninth title at Wimbledon but was beaten in the quarter-finals by Hubert Hurkacz.
Federer withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics as well as a number of lead-up events to the Aug. 30-Sept. 12 U.S. Open.
“I want to give myself a glimmer of hope also to return to the tour in some shape or form,” said Federer.
“I am realistic, don’t get me wrong, I know how difficult it is at this age right now to do another surgery and try it but look I want to be healthy and I’ll go through the rehab process I think also with the goal while I am still active which I think is going to help me during this long period of time.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Ed Osmond)
