By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Start making party preparations for tennis' top homecoming bash.
Former Basel ballboy Roger Federer has committed to competing at his hometown tournament in Basel this fall.
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Tournament organizers announced 10-time champion Federer will return to the Swiss Indoors Basel with tickets going on sale tomorrow. Former world No. 1 Federer has lifted the Basel title trophy in his last five appearances.
The tournament took a two-year break due to the pandemic and is now coming back with Federer as headliner.
"After a two-year break due to the pandemic, the Swiss Indoors Basel will return to the ATP Tour in the fall of 2022. 10-time singles champion and hometown hero Roger Federer has announced his comeback to the stadium at St. Jakobshalle," tournament organizers announced on social media. "The Swiss all-time great has confirmed his initial agenda will include the Laver Cup in London followed by the Swiss Indoors in Basel."
The 41st-ranked Federer has not played a match since suffering a 6-3, 7-6, 6-0 loss to Hubert Hurkacz in the Wimbledon quarterfinals on July 7th.
The 40-year-old Swiss superstar continues his rehab from knee surgery setting his sights on a fall return.
Two events are now on Federer's 2022 calendar: Laver Cup at the O2 Arena in London, September 23-25th and the Swiss Indoors Basel set for October 23rd-30th.
Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Federer owns a 75-9 career record with 10 titles at his hometown tournament.
In his last Basel appearance, Federer did not drop a set dismissing Peter Gojowczyk, Radu Albot, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur in succession to capture the 2019 championship.
Federer's commitment to Basel is an encouraging sign in his ongoing rehab.
Last month, Federer's co-coach Severin Lüthi said the Swiss is making strides in training, but was unlikely to play Wimbledon.
"He's still in the rehabilitation phase," said Lüthi in an interview with Tages Anzeiger. “However, it is not just about therapeutic measures such as ultrasound or ice application. He can always do more, is actively working. Not only the muscles of the knee or leg are built up, but the whole body is strengthened. It's a real conditioning program."
"The main thing for him is to slowly get back in,” Lüthi said.
Lüthi said last month it was unlikely, though not impossible, that Federer returns in time to play The Championships.
“At the moment I don’t see how he should play in Wimbledon either,” the coach said. “I'm not the one who says: impossible. But I can't imagine it right now."
Photo credit: Mike Frey/Rolex Shanghai Masters Facebook