Roger Federer: Comeback plan is in place - Laver Cup, Basel, 2023
When will Roger Federer return to the tennis tour? It's the big question - now the Maestro himself gave the answers.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Jun 12, 2022, 10:57 am
It was clear at the latest when looking at the entry list for the championships that the dreamed comeback at the Wimbledon tournament in 2022 would not happen - Federer did not appear here .
But now Federer has announced his plan for 2022 - and also the prospect of afterwards. "So far I haven't planned any further than the Laver Cup and Basel," Federer explained to the Schweizer Tagesanzeiger . "After Basel, the season is over anyway."
Federer had had to undergo several knee surgeries in recent years. In 2020 twice, after a first intervention was not entirely successful, after his comeback in 2021 there were renewed problems, Federer had to undertake another intervention. Accordingly, he does not want to rush into anything for the renewed comeback.
Will Roger Federer also play in 2023? "That would be the plan"
It is important for him to get fit again in order to be able to train fully. Then he will see how many tournaments he can play - and where. "The Laver Cup is a good start, I don't have to play five matches in six days."
But that's exactly what he would have to do in Basel (if he wants to go far). "The next three or four minutes will be extremely important," said Federer, who already sees himself on the right track.
But what about the 2023 season, does Federer want to continue there? "Yes, definitely," he promised. "Where and when, I don't know yet." But also to play in 2023, "that would definitely be the plan."
Federer on Nadal 's victory in Paris: "Gigantic"
But Federer is not "only" a tennis pro, but also a tennis fan, and as such mostly in front of the TV when his colleagues are playing. However, he did not see Nadal's 14th French Open victory, the quarter-finals against Novak Djokovic "a little before I went to sleep". In general, it is crazy what Nadal has achieved. He himself has reached the Sampras record with the 14th Grand Slam title, "now Rafa has won the French Open 14 times, that's incredible."
After the tenth or eleventh time, he already thought: "That's not possible. But he's always setting the limits higher. That's gigantic."