"Roger Federer is kind of an updated Laver to me" - John McEnroe

Roger Federer is one of the all-time greats of tennis and has mesmerized fans around the world with his game style over the years. It's no surprise that for a lot of tennis followers, the Swiss maestro is the GOAT regardless of statistics.

For the first time in over two decades, Federer will not feature at the Wimbledon Championships this year. The eight-time grasscourt Major champion made his debut at SW19 in 1999, one year after winning the junior title. Since then, he has marked his presence in London every year except for 2020 when the event was canceled amidst the global pandemic.

At a recent press meeting, former World No. 1 and tennis analyst John McEnroe expressed his admiration for Federer, calling him a "living legend".

"Roger Federer is a living legend. We all know that. He’s the epitome of what you would want your kids to be when they grew up. And he’s the most beautiful player I’ve ever watched play. I idolized Laver. He’s kind of an updated Laver to me. Twenty years, you got to look at the bright side. You had a lot of times where you got to watch this guy play and win it numerous times. We have to sort of hope that whatever he decides he’s happy with. He’s 40. He’s made it this far. It’s amazing," McEnroe said.

On the men's circuit, the Swiss has the most number of match wins at Wimbledon (105). The 20-time Grand Slam winner has been suffering from a long-term knee injury, for which he has had three surgeries since February 2020. Assuring fans in April that his recovery was on schedule, Federer is aiming for a return later this year.

Roger Federer to play the Laver Cup in September

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will team up once again at the Laver Cup in September

Roger Federer's injury has forced him to miss most of the events of the last two years. The last time he played a competitive match was in the 2021 Wimbledon quarterfinals where Poland's Hubert Hurkacz beat him 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-0. This was Federer's first bagel in a Grand Slam match since the 2008 Roland Garros final against Rafael Nadal.

In February, Federer and Nadal confirmed teaming up once again for the Laver Cup to be held in London in September. The two players participated in the event in its inaugural edition in 2017, as well as 2019. The Swiss will also be seen playing at The Swiss Indoors in Basel in October.