Australian Open: Roger Federer to miss the 2021 tournament

Six-time champion Roger Federer will miss the Australian Open for the first time in his career as he continues his recovery from knee surgery.

The 39-year-old Swiss, a 20-time Grand Slam winner, has not played since January because of two operations.

Federer has played in the Australian Open 21 years in a row, but his agent said missing the tournament was "the best decision for him in the long run".

Federer's most recent last competitive match was a semi-final defeat by eventual champion Novak Djokovic in this year's Australian Open.