Tennis superstar Roger Federer, who has taken a year out from competing as he comes back from an injury, has said that he hopes to be back on the world tour next year if his recovery continues to progress.
“I don’t yet know the exact details but that would be the idea,” the Swiss champion said on Sunday in an interview with the Swiss daily newspaper Tagesanzeiger when asked whether he planned to continue playing competitive tennis next year.
But before returning to competitions, Federer, who turns 41 in August, will need to undergo a third operation to his right knee. The former World No. 1 has 20 Grand Slams to his name but has been absent from competitive tennis since Wimbledon 2021.
“I myself am curious to see what will follow,” he told the Zurich daily. “But I’m hopeful. I’ve already gone a long way. I’m not far off. The next three or four months will be eminently important.”
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Interviewed on Saturday by the SFR channel, the Swiss icon explained that he was now focusing on his physical condition, going to the gym five to six times a week, and that tennis would still have to “wait a bit.”
Federer hopes to get back on court in time for the Laver Cup in London, to be held from 23 to 25 September. After that, he plans to be in his hometown for the Basle Tournament from 24 to 30 October.
The Swiss champion, winner of 103 trophies in a career spanning over 20 years, only played six matches in 2020 and 13 in 2021. He is now ranked 50th in the world.
