Laver Cup 2022: 'Maybe, I can play doubles with Rafa' - Is Roger Federer not playing singles?

Roger Federer will be retiring from professional tennis later this week. While he will be featuring for Team Europe in the Laver Cup 2022 from Friday, it is unclear if he will play the singles. He has hinted at playing doubles with Rafael Nadal.

Image credit: Getty

Tennis great Roger Federer of Switzerland is all set to retire from professional tennis later this week. He will participate in the 2022 Laver Cup, starting this Friday, at the O2 Arena in London, where he will be teaming up for Team Europe against Team World. However, it is unclear if the 20-time Grand Slam champion will be featured in the singles matches. It would mark his first competitive tennis tournament in over a year, as he is coming off after nursing a knee injury and multiple surgeries. While fans are desperate to see him in action for the last time, he has expressed his desire to play the doubles alongside Rafael Nadal of Spain.

"Maybe, I can play doubles with Rafa. That would be an absolute dream," Federer said to Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF). Upon his arrival in the English capital, Federer told RTS that he was relieved with his retirement announcement and was satisfied with how his career transpired over the years.

"It can't be that I'm trying to run after something hardly realistic anymore. [In recent months], my progress was unsatisfactory, and 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," stated Federer.

"[I held back] a tear or two when I announced my coming retirement last week but felt I was happy to have taken the step. I do not know exactly what my future will be, but I do not want to completely distance myself from the sport that has given me everything," Federer concluded.