Roger Federer May Not Participate In His Final ATP Event: Details
KEY POINTS
- Roger Federer announced his retirement last week
- He said Laver Cup 2022 is going to be his final ATP event
- Laver Cup is scheduled to begin on Sept. 23 in London
Roger Federer's participation in the Laver Cup -- his final ATP appearance, is reportedly not certain yet.
Last week, Federer took the world by storm when he announced his retirement from professional tennis and confirmed the upcoming Laver Cup would be his last.
The hard-court indoor event is a three-day affair and is scheduled to begin on Sept. 23 at O2 Arena, London.
In a recent interview, Federer's long-time coach Severin Luthi claimed that the Swiss Master's participation is not yet "definitive," although he did disclose that Federer "trained hard last week and is training again this week."
"His aim is to play something - whether it's singles or doubles we'll have to see, but his aim is still to play at the Laver Cup – definitely. We have 3 hours in the morning. Trained and in the afternoon another 2 hours of training. I want to do my job well there," Luthi said.
Earlier in the day, Laver Cup's official Twitter account confirmed that Federer had landed in London ahead of the fifth season of the Laver Cup.
Federer's fitness and conditioning trainer Pierre Paganini has also said that the Swiss player will decide at the last moment if he'll compete in the Laver Cup or not.
"He will probably decide that at the last moment. He is trained to have as much information as possible about whether it's a good idea or not," Paganini said in an interview.
Tennis fans have been waiting eagerly for the 2022 edition of the Laver Cup as it is going to reunite Federer and Rafael Nadal as teammates in Team Europe for the first time since the inaugural Laver Cup season in 2017.
Nadal had joined Federer in the 2019 edition as well but the former World No. 1 had to withdraw owing to an injury.
After Federer announced his retirement earlier this month, Nadal shared a heart-warming tribute to the 20-time Grand Slam champion. Nadal wrote on Twitter that it has been a pleasure, honor, and privilege to "share all these years with you, living so many amazing moments on and off the court."
The Spaniard further added that he is certain he and Federer will have lots of things to do together in the future.
"For now, I truly wish you all the happiness with your wife, Mirka, your kids, and your family, and enjoy what's ahead of you. I'll see you in London," added Nadal.
Meanwhile, Team Europe has added US Open quarterfinalist Matteo Berrettini to their squad as a backup option.
"Alternates are available to compete in place of one of their teammates if they are injured or withdraw. They are integral members of their teams and participate in all appearances and preparations," explained the Laver Cup statement.
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