Roger Federer needs another knee surgery and will miss U.S. Open

Roger Federer said Sunday that he will undergo additional surgery on his troublesome right knee, leaving him unable to compete at the U.S. Open this year. Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are tied for the most career men’s Grand Slam singles titles at 20 each following Djokovic’s sweep of the first three Grand Slam events this year.

Federer, who turned 40 on Aug. 8, said in a video released on Instagram that he will be on crutches “for many weeks and then also out of the game for many months.” He said while the process will be difficult, “I know it’s the right thing to do because I want to be healthy, I want to be running later as well again, and I want to give myself a glimmer of hope also to return to the tour in some shape or form.”

He also thanked his fans in advance for their good wishes and promised to update them with the progress of his rehabilitation.

This year’s U.S. Open will be played from Aug. 30-Sept. 12 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. Organizers have announced that fans will not be allowed to watch the qualifying tournament, but plans are still in place for them to be admitted to the tournament. Fans were barred from the 2020 tournament because of COVID-19 concerns and protocols.