Former World No.1 Roger Federer took retirement from tennis with a social media statement on September 15 and confirmed that Laver Cup will be his final tournament in tennis. Now, the 20-time Grand Slam winner has revealed that he will be contesting in only doubles at the Laver Cup 2022 in London this week.
After unable to recover from the knee injuries, the 41-year-old tennis legend decided to retire from the sport. Federer hinted the Swiss media to possibly collaborate with Spanish ace Rafael Nadal in doubles event at the Laver Cup.
"I am quite surprised how well I am playing in practice here. But it was already clear beforehand that I would only play doubles, probably on Friday evening. That’s why playing the Swiss Indoors in Basel was no longer an option," Federer told Swiss media.
While talking to Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF), Federer stated, "Maybe I can play doubles with Rafa, that would be an absolute dream ."
"My progress was not satisfactory, that my knee was not letting me go. Then I received a scan that was not great, and there was no more progress. I told myself that it was over. Honestly, I didn’t want to do it anymore", added Federer.
Earlier, Rafael Nadal also expressed his desire to share the court alongside his biggest rival in the history of the sport. Nadal said, "If we’re able to possibly share the court one more time as a doubles pairing, then this would be a truly special experience for us both at this stage in our careers."
Record eight-time Wimbledon winner Roger Federer last played against Hubert Hurkacz in the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2021 and the Laver Cup will be his last competitive event as a professional player.