Roger Federer comeback ends early as fatigue and Nikoloz Basilashvili get the better of him...

[ASFN Admin]

Roger Federer acknowledged that he is still five or six weeks away from completing his fitness programme, as his suck-it-and-see return to the ATP tour in Doha ended in the narrowest of defeats to Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili. Federer actually held a match point late in the third set, but it would have been a victory burgled against the run of play if he had managed to close it out. He was struggling to generate pace on his groundstrokes by this stage, and his serve was noticeably hampered by what he later admitted was a sore right shoulder. “I had lost all muscles basically,” Federer said of his 405-day absence from the tour. “Now after finally playing some points and now playing a match, I knew that I still need another five, six weeks in fitness, probably a little bit more down the road. “The whole shoulder is really … I feel the muscle pain around that,” he added. “I didn't expect it to be honest, because I have been serving the whole time, but that comes I think with the pressure. In matches you just go that extra percent, 5 per cent? I don't know what it is.” Such is the reality of making a comeback at 39. It is almost a Catch-22 situation. Too many matches, and you risk burning out your muscles and joints. Too few, and you find yourself underprepared for the explosive effort required by the modern tour. But if anyone can manage this delicate balancing act, it is Federer. He opened this match in fine style, continuing the free-flowing strokeplay that had carried him to victory over Dan Evans on Wednesday. The match then turned, however, as he was broken in his opening service game of the second set. Basilashvili is one of the most aggressive hitters on the tour, off both wings, and Federer soon seemed drained by the effort of retrieving multiple balls driven into the corners. “Overall the body is actually fine,” concluded Federer, who added that he will consult his team before deciding whether or not to play in Dubai next week.

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