The Swiss Roger Federer, former number one in world tennis who has been inactive since July 2021, described as “incredible what Rafael Nadal has achieved”, with whom he will form a team in the Laver Cup in London, and announced his plans to return to the professional circuit in 2023.
Nadal won his fourteenth Roland Garros trophy last Sunday with a victory over the Norwegian Casper Ruud, who was a disciple of his academy, and Federer did not hesitate to praise his Spanish friend: “It is incredible what Rafa has achieved. The record of Pete Sampras, who I beat, was 14 Grand Slam titles, and he already has 22”, he told the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger.
“Now Rafa has won Roland Garros 14 times. It’s incredible. I’m very happy that he did it. Hats off. After the tenth, the eleventh I already thought: this can’t be, but he keeps raising the bar. He’s gigantic “.
Federer formed a doubles pair with Rafa Nadal, so far for the only time, in the inaugural edition of the Laver Cup in Prague 2017.
The Swiss plans to return to competition next year, at the age of 41, although without a specific schedule outside of his two firm commitments, the Laver Cup (again with Nadal) and the Basel tournament, which he organizes himself.
Winner of 20 Grand Slam tournaments, Federer has not played since he was eliminated in the 2021 Wimbledon quarterfinals by Pole Hubert Hurkacz.
Speaking to the Swiss newspaper, Federer responded with a “definitely yes” when asked if he planned to return to the professional tennis circuit in 2023.
“How and when, I don’t know yet, but that’s the idea,” added the tennis player from Basel, who at the beginning of the year already confirmed his presence at the Laver Cup in London, teaming up with Nadal, before participating in his own tournament.
“I don’t have any plans yet beyond the Laver Cup and Basel. It’s important for me to get back in shape and train hard. Once I get that I can choose how many tournaments I play and where,” he explained.
