Tennis icon Roger Federer has plotted his long-awaited comeback to action later this year, with the Laver Cup first up ahead of his ATP Tour return at the Swiss Indoors in October.
Speculation began to mount suggesting that Federer could retire following his battle with injuries that have plagued him for the last few years. The 20-time Grand Slam champion has been sidelined since coming up short in the Wimbledon quarter-finals in July 2021, and the Swiss star announced the following month he had undergone knee surgery that ended his season prematurely.
Last November, Federer conceded he would be ‘extremely surprised’ if he returned to Wimbledon in 2022 to try and win a record ninth men’s singles title. It now appears certain the 40-year-old will miss out on tournament but he could still come to the United Kingdom to play in the fifth edition of the Laver Cup.
The 2022 Laver Cup - a competition that pits Europe against the rest of the world - is scheduled to run from September 23 to September 25. Federer is planning to represent Team Europe in the event at the O2 Arena in London.
And according to tournament organisers, Federer is then eyeing a return to the ATP Tour at his home tournament of the Swiss Indoors, which begins on October 24. The Swiss icon triumphed at the event in 2019 and was his 103rd and most recent title.
It was also the last time the tournament was held following cancellations caused by the Covid pandemic. Federer is a record 10-time winner at the event in Basel, having not lost a match there since 2013.
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A tournament statement declared that Federer had entered under his protected ATP ranking of nine. The Swiss Indoors took to Instagram to announce Federer’s return, writing: “After a two-year break due to the pandemic, the Swiss Indoors Basel will return to the ATP Tour in the fall of 2022.
“Ten-time singles champion and hometown hero Roger Federer has announced his comeback to the stadium at St. Jakobshalle. The Swiss all-time great has confirmed his initial agenda will include the Laver Cup in London followed by the Swiss Indoors in Basel.”
Federer appeared to confirm the news on the social media platform. He shared the post on his story and said: “Looking forward to playing back home #Basel”
