Has the time come? Federer showed up in training on the pitch and his return is getting closer and closer

It’s been over a year since Roger Federer last played a game on the professional circuit. It was the quarter-finals of Wimbledon 2021, when his elimination gave way to a prolonged absence, motivated by a knee injury that lasted longer than expected. But this Sunday, the light at the end of the tunnel appears ever closer.

Is that the Swiss was shown training inside a court. We did not see his classic and aesthetic one-handed backhand, but lateral movements to hit the forehand three times and with a good discharge that caused the illusion of his fans.

The video he uploaded as a reel to his Instagram account is the best indication considering Federer is expected to reappear in the Laver Cup, an exhibition tournament that will be full of stars in the 2022 edition.

It is that in addition to the Swiss, living legend of modern tennis, there will be the Spaniard Rafael Nadalthe Serbian Novak Djokovic and the British Andy Murraythe most outstanding of sport during the 21st century.

They met on the most important stages of tennis, but now they will be part of the same team, the “Team Europe” led by another legend, the Swede Björn Borg.

Among the members of the “Big Four” (incorrectly named) will be added 66 Grand Slam crowns and will go to the fifth consecutive title for the European team, which was the clear dominator in the four previous editions. Even so, two of them (Prague 2017 and Geneva 2019) weren’t decided until the last match and it is expected that there will be as much or more drama in 2022.

Across at the O2 Arena in London, and direct from John McEnroethere will be an Argentine, the small Diego Schwartzmannwho confirmed his participation with the Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime and the American Taylor Fritz. There is still a place to fill.

After that race, it emerged as a tribute to the Australian legend Rod Laver and will be held on Friday 23, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 September, it will be time for the official return to the professional circuit and none other than in the courtyard of his home: the ATP 500 in Basel, his hometown, where he played 15 finals and won 10 titles.

off the charts

Roger Federer has disappeared from the ATP world rankings since 11 July. Yes, the Basel phenomenon was not included in the official list of the professional circuit for the first time in 24 years and 10 months. To be more precise, a total of 9,058 days have passed.

What happened? Federer, who had added his first pro points on September 22, 1997, when he participated in a satellite tournament in Bossonnens, Switzerland. Now, in the new calculation, Elveziano has run out of beans to add, as he has nothing to defend after a year of inactivity.

It is paradoxical because Federer, winner of 20 Slams, has not yet decided to retire. In fact, on Sunday last week, he was at the centenary celebrations of the Center Court of the All England Club, home of Wimbledon and made it clear that at 40 he still doesn’t think about putting down the racket.

“I hope I can come back once again. I missed this place”said the eight-time champion during the ceremony commemorating the legendary court opened in 1922 in Wimbledon, where he was unable to attend.

The big question that the tennis world is asking is whether Federer will be able to be a part of it US Open of the United States, even if for this we will have to wait how that damned knee responds.