Tennis great Rod Laver on Tuesday said Roger Federer will always be “the champion of his era” and expects him to win more tournaments even ...
Tennis great Rod Laver on Tuesday said Roger Federer will always be “the champion of his era” and expects him to win more tournaments even though Rafael Nadal is just three matches away from overtaking his 20 Grand Slam title haul.
The 39-year-old Swiss has been out of action for a year and shelved plans to compete in the Australian Open as he continues his recovery from two knee operations, targeting a comeback at Doha next month.
He won the last of his 20 Slams at Melbourne Park in 2018 and Nadal will go one better if he lifts the title on Sunday.
The Spaniard, 34, faces Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday for a place in the final four of this year’s Australian Open.
World number one Novak Djokovic, 33, is also in the last eight and takes on Alexander Zverev Tuesday as he chases an 18th Grand Slam crown.
Laver praised Nadal and Djokovic but said Federer was still in his eyes the best.
“For me, I think Roger is the champion of his era,” he told Fox Sports from his home in California, with the 82-year-old unable to travel to the Australian Open, where the centre court is named after him, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think he’s certainly ... you know,...
