Roger Federer, who has not played in the competition since last July and will celebrate his 41st birthday this summer, has confirmed his participation in the Basel tournament at the end of October, in his hometown, organizers announced on Tuesday .
Soon after, Rafael Nadal, who was a month away due to a stress fracture to his rib that occurred in Indian Wells at the end of March, announced his imminent return to the circuit, also at the residence.
He will take part in the Madrid tournament next week, three weeks before Roland-Garros (May 22-June 5). The Spaniard admitted he lacked preparation, as he only continued training last week.
Roger Federer will be the headliner of the Basel tournament from October 24 to 30, the organizers wrote in a press release. After the Laver Cup in London (September 23-25), he added Basel to his calendar and confirmed his participation in tournament management.
Can’t wait to play at home againwrote the Swiss with 20 grand slam trophies on social networks.
However, Federer did not disclose any of his intentions before and after the Swiss tournament, other than his desire known since February to participate in the Laver Cup, a lavish exhibition that clashed with a group of European players in one of the players from the rest of the world.
Doubled at the start of the year in the race for Nadal’s major titles, crowned for the 21st time in Australia. He has been away from the circuit since his defeat in the Wimbledon quarter-finals, last July, against Pole Hubert Hurkacz. He then underwent surgery on his right knee for the third time in a year and a half.
At the beginning of March, the former world No. 1 set the horizon for his return late summer, early autumn on Swiss television.
I do a lot, the better. I spent two months moving around with the crutch, it was long and I had to start at the beginning […] Now I am slowly coming to a stage where I can think of a comebackthen he explained.
Two weeks ago, the eight-time Wimbledon winner gossiped about his rehabilitation progress on Instagram.
The Swiss champion, who has won 103 titles in more than 20 years of racing, has played just 13 games in 2021 and 6 in 2020. None of the courts in nine months, he pointed to 41st place in the world.
Until his injury at Indian Wells, Nadal, despite his 35 years and after nearly six months out of action, had a thunderous start to the season by snatching the record for major trophies in Melbourne only and even in his first 20 against the year, until he lost his final California against American Taylor Fritz 6-3 and 7-6 (7/5).
Diagnosis: stress fracture in the ribs, and four to six weeks absence, while the tip of his nose is pointing at the clay, his beloved surface.
The Majorcan, 13 times crowned at the Roland-Garros ocher, thus missed the first weeks of the world season, certainly the Monte-Carlo and Barcelona tournaments, but he decided to return next week to the capital of Spain.
Although I lack preparation and it will be difficult, I really want to play, and play at home, chances are rare, tweeted “Rafa”. I will try to do this as much as possible. Let’s meet in Madrid.
Source: Radio-Canada
