Doha (AFP)

A winning setback that runs along the line to conclude, like a signature: after thirteen months of absence, Roger Federer physically held and won Wednesday in the second round in Doha even if he was logically far from his best level.

First match and first physical challenge for the world No.6 who will be 40 years old in August: it took him three sets and 2:24 to eliminate the Briton Daniel Evans (28th world) 7-6 (10/8), 3-6, 7-5.

"It's good to be back, of course it's even better to win. It was a great game, we had played more than twenty sets together in recent weeks," said Federer, recalling that Evans had been his training partner for two weeks.

"I was tired, Dan had more energy left, but I said to myself + if I have to lose, as much as it is by giving everything +. I am very happy with my performance, and it is always nice to finish by a winning backhand long line ", entrusted the Swiss to the twenty Grand Slam titles.

During its almost entire match, the match was worth more for the interest shown in the return of Federer, who had not played in competition since his elimination by Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the Australian Open 2020 due to a double operation on the right knee, only for its intrinsic value.

As expected, it was the competitive matches that seemed to miss Federer, obviously lacking physical and tennis benchmarks.

- "Huge challenge" -

To the point that, very quiet, very physically sharp, he seemed more amused than annoyed by the rather harmless blows that sometimes escaped him.

By relying on a big first serve, proof that his knee did not handicap him, Federer hung on but he was fragile or even clumsy in the exchange, both from the baseline and on the fly.

His hesitations in enlisting were probably more due to fear of injury than to actual pain.

But the immense champion woke up at the very end of the game: suddenly much more incisive, he offered himself a first match point at 5-4 on the service of Evans who, however, ended up winning his throw-in. .

It was only a postponement as two games later, Federer concluded the match with a crossover backhand chained with a huge backhand long line that left Evans several yards from the ball.

“With fatigue, you don't really know if it's the muscles or something, but the important thing is how I'm going to feel tomorrow. It's been a long and hard road, it's a huge challenge. to come back to my age, but it was worth it, because I played a good game, "he added.

In the quarter-finals, Federer will face Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili (42nd).

© 2021 AFP