'Really a big question mark' - Boris Becker unsure on whether Roger Federer will return to professional tennis

“We always talked about the switch of generations and how long the big three will make it,” Eurosport expert Beker said. “The last Mohican has now emerged from the big three. That is Novak Djokovic, who is having an incredible year. “Roger ended the year after his third operation on the same knee - at 40, it takes even longer to recover."

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Boris Becker has cast doubt on whether Roger Federer will return to professional tennis.

Federer announced earlier in the month that his season had been cut short as he requires a fresh operation on his knee - meaning he will not take part in the final major of the year at the US Open.

It has been a disappointing period with injuries for the Swiss great, and he turned 40 earlier in August.

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Federer said his aim was to have surgery, work on his rehabilitation and assess whether he can return to the sport.

Becker hopes it is not the end of the line for the 20-time major winner, but feels the era of Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic is over.

“We always talked about the switch of generations and how long the big three will make it,” Eurosport expert Becker said. “The last Mohican has now emerged from the big three. That is Novak Djokovic, who is having an incredible year.

“Roger ended the year after his third operation on the same knee - at 40, it takes even longer to recover.

“I wish him above all that he gets well again. That is the most important thing. The rest of his life is still ahead of him, and whether he plays tennis again or not is almost secondary.

“He has already won so much and doesn't have to prove anything to anyone.”

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Federer appeared in only five events in 2021, with his most recent outing being a run to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.

His storied career has yielded eight Wimbledon titles - and 20 majors in all - but his most recent Grand Slam success came at the Australian Open in 2018.

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