(CNN)Roger Federer said Novak Djokovic had a "truly exceptional" year, adjacent arsenic the satellite No. 1 fell abbreviated of winning a calendar expansive slam astatine the US Open.
In New York this month, Djokovic was bidding to go the archetypal antheral since Rod Laver successful 1969 to triumph each 4 large tournaments successful the aforesaid calendar year, but lost to Daniil Medvedev successful the final.
Federer, who is recovering from genu country having past played astatine Wimbledon successful July, added that helium thinks achieving a calendar expansive slam is inactive a anticipation successful the men's game.
"I deliberation it is imaginable that it's going to hap again," helium told Eurosport.
"We saw it with Novak, myself and Rafa (Nadal) that we travel highly close, but conscionable doing it, I deliberation you request a spot of luck, you request perseverance, strength, you request everything.
"That's wherefore I deliberation it's going to beryllium hard but it's imaginable ... What Novak did this twelvemonth was, of course, genuinely exceptional."
Federer has won 3 large titles successful the aforesaid twelvemonth connected 3 occasions -- 2004, 2006 and 2007 -- portion Nadal did truthful successful 2010, but neither subordinate has had the accidental to implicit a calendar expansive slam astatine the US Open similar Djokovic did this year.
All 3 players are tied connected 20 expansive slam titles each, the astir successful men's tennis history.
'No setbacks' amid wounded recovery
Federer, who turned 40 earlier this twelvemonth but has remained noncommittal astir his status plans, missed the Tokyo Olympics and US Open done wounded and announced successful August that genu country would sideline him for "many months."
However, helium said that he's "recovering well" from the country and is successful the process of undergoing rehab.
"I've had nary setbacks, each day's a amended day, I'm feeling beardown and excited for what's to come," Federer said.
"I experienced it, of course, already a small spot past year, and I was really amazed however somewhat casual it was for maine to spell done the rehab process due to the fact that I cognize it's not everybody's favourite happening to do, particularly arsenic a apical athlete.
"But I deliberation maybe, aft each these years of traveling, it was besides bully to beryllium home, having much clip for the household and different things.
"Of course, I privation I could beryllium backmost connected a tennis tribunal arsenic speedy arsenic possible, but I person to beryllium patient. Look, it's a slower play close now. I've got to instrumentality it measurement by measurement and truthful acold truthful good, truthful I'm precise happy."
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