20-time Grand Slam title winner Roger Federer won the first set in the quarter-finals against Nikoloz Basilashvili but found it tough to carry his momentum in the heat of Doha and lost the match 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 to be knocked out of the Qatar Open.
The 39-year-old underwent two knee surgeries in 2020 and finally made a return to competitive tennis in the Qatar Open this year after missing the Australian Open 2021.
Despite the defeat, Federer was happy to be able to play two games in a row in three sets. The ace tennis player was not 100% but expected to be back to full fitness for the grass season.
"I know exactly what I have to do to try to win, and I tried to do what I had to do. Of course I don't have all the resources at my disposal to do it yet, but the level of attention in the match left me very satisfied. All in all I'm happy with how I felt on the pitch today; maybe with Dan I felt even better, but Basilashvili plays a completely different tennis and this put me in trouble," Federer said after the defeat.
"The balance of these two matches is more than positive. Obviously they were two very different matches: yesterday I arrived with two weeks preparation for that specific match, while today I went out on the pitch 22 hours after the previous match, after going to bed a little later, against a completely different player."
Federer was also asked about the Olympics, to which he replied that he would assess how much more is left in the tank and then take a call.
"Olympics have always been a special place for me. I was flag bearer twice, in 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing. I won the gold medal with Stan Wawrinka, I won the silver in 2012 London. I met my wife in 2000 at the Olympics," Federer shared his Olympics highlights.
"It would be amazing to be part of Tokyo. I try to see how much more is left in the tank for me. So far my wife has been my biggest supporter to allow me and push me towards the tour. My kids have been wonderful as well, understanding, even though they were sad when I left and I came to Doha without them."
Federer won a silver in the 2012 London Olympics and would want to go one better in his last Summer Games.
