Tennis icon Roger Federer revealed the main regret he carries over missing out on the ATP Finals held in Turin, which was won by Alexander Zverev.
Roger Federer admitted he is gutted to have missed out on the 2021 ATP Finals in Turin, citing the fast courts as a key reason for his dismay. There have been debates throughout the season about the speed of surfaces around the world, with many fans and players frustrated with the slow courts that fail to produce interesting matches.
Speed has not been an issue at the ATP Finals, with the Pala Alpitour court rated among the quickest on the Tour.
Federer missed out on the season-ending tournament for the second successive year due to his long-term knee injury.
The Swiss legend prefers faster courts and revealed he would have liked to play at the Turin tournament.
The 20-time Grand Slam winner, whose future within the sport is uncertain amid his knee troubles, was interviewed by his coach Ivan Ljubicic on Italian TV during the tournament.
“The courts here this year are actually quite fast, we would have had a lot of fun, maybe in the future we’ll have the opportunity to enjoy them,” Ljubicic said to Federer.
Roger Federer watched on as his rivals competed for ATP Finals glory in Turin (Image: GETTY)
“I heard also the US Open was fast, I’m hearing the Tour Finals is fast, so I’m missing out,” Federer replied.
“It’s all good, it’s part of the game. I’ve had a great career so far, and I’ve learned a lot on the slow courts.
“I’ve enjoyed playing on the fast courts as well, but also clay is where I grew up so no problem.