Federer hints comeback plan is on track as new video shows Swiss maestro on court

By Sports Desk August 21, 2022

Roger Federer looks bang on course to launch his comeback next month after the 20-time grand slam winner posted an encouraging video of a practice session on Sunday.

The Swiss turned 41 on August 8 and has not played a match since losing to Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon last year.

He has undergone knee surgery in the meantime, his third such operation inside two years, but is determined to resume his playing career and looked to be enjoying being back on court in a short clip posted to Instagram.

Federer is due to play in the Laver Cup, which will be staged in London from September 23 to 25, with Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic set to join him in an illustrious Team Europe line-up.

It will be a reunion for the 'Big Four', who were once so dominant as a group, with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud also on the European team, which will be captained by Bjorn Borg.

Federer is then entered for the Swiss Indoors in his home city of Basel, where he has been champion 10 times previously and holds a remarkable 75-9 win-loss career record.

It remains to be seen whether that October 24-30 tournament is a farewell appearance, or another step towards playing regularly on the ATP tour once more.

At Wimbledon in July, Federer appeared at a parade of former champions and said he wished to play at the All England Club again, which points to him planning to play in the 2023 season.

"I hope I can come back here one more time," said Federer, an eight-time Wimbledon champion.

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