Roger Federer has been a trailblazer in tennis and also in sports. However, amidst his various accolades, the Swiss superstar has suffered a lot due to injuries and therefore he does not take any risk nowadays in order to stay fit. Federer’s long-time fitness consultant Pierre Paganini has revealed how it takes a lot of time for the 35-year old to recover from his injuries.
The 20time Grand Slam winner decided to take a break from tennis after undergoing surgery on his injured knee. He last played in the Australian Open last year where he was knocked out of the semifinals by eventual champion Novak Djokovic.
This is the first time he has withdrawn his name from the Australian Open as he is not yet ready to give his best. However, to the happiness of his supporters, the Swiss will return to action in the ATP Doha event which is scheduled around March.
In a recent interview with German daily Tages-Anzeiger, Paganini opened up on new details about Federer’s struggle to get back to full fitness. He said how the Swiss have had to start from the beginning. However, he also shared how Federer is never pushing himself to any extreme which his body can’t handle.
“He will never risk his health,” was Paganini’s studious assessment of the 39-year-old, adding that he lays a lot of emphasis on being “healthy” in the “second phase of his life.”
“He won’t overdo anything if it doesn’t make sense. He is every strategic and farsighted,” said Paganini.
Paganini also shared how Federer has been training during this road to recovery and how jumping over hurdles gives him immense joy. ‘Hey, now it’s not the crutches anymore, it’s the hurdles!’” Paganini quoted Federer himself when he saw the hurdles.
Lastly, his fitness coach also shared how he does training drills and exercises tailored for a 17-year old and still gets better at them every single day. It is his undying love and passion for the sport that keeps him going even at this age.
Paganini also adds how Federer has earned this huge fandom not only through his artistry on the court but also by being a very humble and loveable personality. “He will always be this human being as long as he lives,” Paganini concluded.
