In Could of 2022, long-time skilled Kevin Anderson retired from the game saying, “tennis carried me far past my roots in Johannesburg, South Africa and really gave me the world. I’ve skilled so many various challenges and feelings; this sport may be exhilarating and on the identical time lonely. I’ve had ups and downs, however I wouldn’t change it for something. My journey helped me grow to be the person who I’m right now.”
Anderson left the game having reached two grand slam finals, seven ATP titles, and a peak of world no. 5 in a profession that spanned 15 years.
Final week, Anderson returned to the game he loves in Newport, the place he reached the quarterfinals of the Newport 250 occasion. The 37-year-old accepted a wild card on the ATP 250 Infosys Corridor of Fame Open. His final motion earlier than this was the Miami Masters in 2022.
The 6’8” South African-born Anderson rode his massive serve to the quarters the place he fell to Ugo Humbert 6-2, 6-4.
(J. Kamin-Oncea / Usa As we speak Sports activities/Presse Sports activities)
Anderson had instructed the ATP web site, {that a} assembly with Roger Federer in Delray Seaside put the considered a comeback in his thoughts.
“I ended up having an ideal dialog with Roger and for the primary time, I felt simply actually relaxed and [was] having a traditional dialog. It was fascinating listening to him, arguably the perfect participant of all time by way of his ball putting, and simply listening to the insights he had, it was a very cool expertise.
I did not actually put that collectively [in terms of coming back]. I feel earlier than that I used to be form of pondering of, ‘Perhaps I ought to come again.”
Anderson has a unique perspective in his second profession. He has indicated that as a consequence of not having a rating (which is presently world no. 645) he should enter tournaments on wild playing cards however does plan to compete. He has indicated that he’ll focus extra on the journey, the challenges, and studying by way of the method, reasonably than the outcomes.
Trying ahead to seeing the place the 2017 US Open finalist and 2018 Wimbledon finalist competes subsequent.