No Federer, so McEnroe looks on the bright side

• Roger Federer is the epitome of what you would want your child to be when they grow up, says McEnroe

Wimbledon is set to kick off without Roger Federer for the first time in more than two decades next week and, with the clock ticking down on the Swiss maestro’s career, John McEnroe said he was grateful for being able to watch him play the sport for so long.

Federer, who turns 41 in August, has undergone three knee operations in the past two years and has not played a competitive match since his quarterfinal defeat to Hubert Hurkacz at 2021’s grass court Grand Slam.

He won the Wimbledon junior title in 1998 before turning professional the same year. Since making his debut at Wimbledon in 1999, Federer had not missed a single edition before the 2022 tournament.

“Twenty years you got to look at the bright side,” seven-time major winner and ESPN analyst McEnroe told reporters.

“You had a lot of time where you got a chance to watch this guy play and win it numerous times. So, we have to hope that whatever he decides, he’s happy with. He’s 40. He’s made it this far. It’s amazing.”

Federer, who has won a record eight men’s titles at the All England Club, said this month that he was “definitely” intending to return to top-level tennis in 2023.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner is expected to return to the tour in September, when he teams up with Spaniard Rafa Nadal to play doubles at the Laver Cup in London before playing at the Swiss indoors tournament at home in Basel the following month.

“Roger Federer is a living legend. We all know that,” added McEnroe. “He’s the epitome of what you would want your kid to be when they grow up. And he’s the most beautiful player I’ve ever watched play. I idolised [Rod] Laver. He’s kind of an updated Laver to me.”

Meanwhile, Rafa Nadal’s hopes of winning Wimbledon for the first time in more than a decade and staying on track for the calendar year Grand Slam will meet a familiar adversary in Novak Djokovic, who is bidding to extend his domination at Wimbledon.

For the first time in his career, the Spaniard has won the Australian and the French Open back to back and has the chance to become the first man to win all four Majors in the same year since Rod Laver achieved the feat in 1969.

Djokovic finished one match short of accomplishing it last season when he won the first three but lost to Russian Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final.

When Djokovic won Wimbledon for the sixth time and the third in a row in 2021, it was his 20th Major title — putting him in a three-way tie with Federer and Nadal in the race for the most Grand Slam titles among men.

The 35-year-old Djokovic has not won a Major since, while Federer has not played since 2021’s Wimbledon.

Djokovic’s fans argue that Nadal’s job was relatively easier at Melbourne Park this year, as he did not have to beat the Serb who was not allowed to defend his Australian Open title due to his unvaccinated status against Covid-19.

The 36-year-old Nadal, who has not played Wimbledon since his 2019 semifinal loss to Federer, beat Djokovic in the Roland Garros quarterfinals this month before going on to lift a record-extending 14th French Open title and 22nd Major.

Nadal’s chronic foot problem will again be in focus but his task at Wimbledon, where he won in 2008 and 2010, is expected to be more challenging with Djokovic unbeaten there for 21 matches.

With world No 1 Medvedev banned from taking part and second-ranked Alexander Zverev missing due to injury, Djokovic is the top seed and Nadal No 2.

“Novak might probably be the man to beat because he’s been doing very well,” said Eurosport pundit Alex Corretja.

“He’s been winning there. He’s the defending champion, and it’s going to be super difficult to beat him. He serves great, he returns perfect, he moves well, he plays deep. So I don’t think there are too many guys in the draw that really feel they can beat Novak best-of-five on grass.”

Matteo Berrettini, runner-up 2021, will fancy his chances of challenging Djokovic, having won titles on grass at Stuttgart and Queen’s in the lead-up.

The big-serving Berrettini has won 20 of his past 21 matches on grass, with his only loss coming in the 2021 Wimbledon final.

Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz will also count himself among the challengers after crushing Medvedev to win the ATP 500 grass court tournament in Halle, Germany, on Sunday.

Britain’s Andy Murray, who has lifted the trophy twice on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, and Australian Nick Kyrgios will be unseeded threats.

Murray, ranked 51st, showed strong grass court form with his runner-up finish in Stuttgart but he is racing against time to be fit after sustaining an abdominal injury during his loss to Berrettini.

The temperamental Kyrgios skipped the clay court season to prepare for grass and considers himself a top-five, top-10 level player on the surface.

The 45th-ranked Australian reached the semifinals in Stuttgart and Halle.

“If I was in the Wimbledon draw and I was seeded, I would pray not to play Kyrgios in the first rounds,” Corretja said.

“It’s so difficult to play against him, his serve is probably one of the best on tour right now.”