Tennis-A Wimbledon without Federer, McEnroe looks on the bright side

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 7, 2021 Switzerland's Roger Federer during his quarter final match against Poland's Hubert Hurkacz REUTERS/Toby Melville

(Reuters) - Wimbledon is set to kick off without Roger Federer for the first time in over two decades next week and with the clock ticking down on the Swiss maestro's career John McEnroe said he was grateful for being able to watch him play the sport for so long.

Federer, who turns 41 in August, has undergone three knee operations in the last two years and has not played a competitive match since his quarter-final defeat to Hubert Hurkacz at last year's grasscourt Grand Slam.