"Roger was doing this unbelievable, all the time" - Patrick Mouratoglou on what makes Roger Federer's backhand slice a difficult shot to face

Roger Federer is one of the greatest tennis players ever with an arsenal full of game-winning shots, of which the wicked slice is one. It has bamboozled opponents and impressed fans and coaches alike.

Patrick Mouratoglou, who currently coaches Simona Halep and has previously trained Serena Williams from 2012 to 2022, praised the Swiss maestro's slice in a recent social media post. He admired the accuracy and technique of Roger's shot, and the devastating effect it had on his opponents.

"Roger [Federer] was doing this unbelievable. All the time. He was hitting it here, so the players had to come in. There was no other option. The players were in the worst possible position on the tennis court. What do they do?" Patrick Mouratoglou says in the Instagram post.

Federer used the slice to drag his opponents out of position and exploit the open court. He was great at it and used a beautiful technique while executing it.

Roger Federer set to make a comeback later this year

Roger Federer pictured at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships.

Roger Federer underwent surgery on his right knee last year following a straight-sets loss to Hubert Hurkacz in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. The 40-year-old has been on the sidelines since, spending time in rehab and training ahead of his return. He confirmed his participation in two events later this year, the Laver Cup in September and the Swiss Indoors in October.

The Swiss tournament is one of his favourites, having won the title 10 times. He is on the entry list for the event with a protected ranking of No. 9. The tournament, set to be played for the first time since 2019, starts on October 24.

"I haven't planned more than the Laver Cup and Basel yet. After Basel, the season is over anyway. It's important for me to get fit again so that I can train fully," Roger Federer said, speaking about his comeback.

Federer is skipping this year's Wimbledon, the first time he is not playing at SW19 since 1998. He is the most successful player in Wimbledon history with 8 titles to his name and has also won a record 105 matches there.

Federer last won a Grand Slam in 2018 when he beat Marin Cilic 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to win the Australian Open title.