Roger Federer will not find it easy to get back to the top of tennis as he battles to recover from his injury layoff, fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka warned on Wednesday.
Federer, 35, has been out since July for knee rehabilitation after undergoing the first operation of his career on a torn meniscus in February.
The 17-time grand slam winner suffered a freak injury while he was helping bathe his twin daughters after being knocked out of January’s Australian Open.
“I think he’s practising. I don’t know if he’s gonna be back in the top four. We will see,” said Wawrinka, after beating Kyle Edmund 6-3, 6-4 in the Shanghai Masters’ second round.
“It’s the first time he has a big injury. It’s not easy to come back after that. But if he’s fit and 100 per cent, for sure he will be really dangerous.”
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Federer will play the Hopman Cup mixed-teams event in January alongside Wawrinka, his sometime doubles partner, and Belinda Bencic as he makes his return.
The top four is missing both Federer (ranked No 7) and Rafael Nadal (No 5) for the first time since 2003 as signs grow that a new era is evolving.
US Open winner Wawrinka is No 3 in the world behind Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, but some young new challengers are climbing the rankings.
Wawrinka, who has shaken off the back injury that kept him out of last week’s China Open, saw off Britain’s Edmund, 21, in just over an hour in Shanghai.
He said he had no problems with his motivation, unlike top-ranked Djokovic who has admitted to burnout after some adverse results and injuries in recent months.
“The motivation is easy, for sure. I’m really happy with what happened in the US Open,” Wawrinka said.
“But there are still a lot of challenges this year with here, with Basel, Paris, London.
“I’m excited to keep playing, especially trying to keep the confidence that I have and trying to push myself the maximum to keep doing some great results.”
While Wawrinka motored into the third round, Czech seventh seed Tomas Berdych became the first big casualty when he lost 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/1) to Marcel Granollers.
David Goffin beat Benoit Paire 6-1, 7-6 (7/0) and Gilles Simon ended Chinese hopes when he beat wild card Wu Di 6-2, 6-2.
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The five pillars of Islam
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Haltia.ai
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Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
THE SPECS
2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE
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Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode
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Torque: 142Nm
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company: Eco Way
Started: December 2023
Founder: Ivan Kroshnyi
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Industry: Electric vehicles
Investors: Bootstrapped with undisclosed funding. Looking to raise funds from outside
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
Structural weaknesses facing Israel economy
1. Labour productivity is lower than the average of the developed economies, particularly in the non-tradable industries.
2. The low level of basic skills among workers and the high level of inequality between those with various skills.
3. Low employment rates, particularly among Arab women and Ultra-Othodox Jewish men.
4. A lack of basic knowledge required for integration into the labour force, due to the lack of core curriculum studies in schools for Ultra-Othodox Jews.
5. A need to upgrade and expand physical infrastructure, particularly mass transit infrastructure.
6. The poverty rate at more than double the OECD average.
7. Population growth of about 2 per cent per year, compared to 0.6 per cent OECD average posing challenge for fiscal policy and underpinning pressure on education, health care, welfare housing and physical infrastructure, which will increase in the coming years.
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
Results:
Men's 100m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 15 sec; 2. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 15.40; 3. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 15.75. Men's 400m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 50.56; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 50.94; 3. Henry Manni (FIN) 52.24.
The five pillars of Islam
