Roger Federer returned to the Laver Cup’s hard courts in Vancouver, Canada, a year after he endured a tear-jerker finale to his tennis career. Only this time around, the 20-time Grand Slam champion’s presence was as an ambassador for the event he helped found.
Having performed in the Laver Cup since 2019, Federer’s concluding match in 2022 saw him team-up with longtime friend and rival Rafael Nadal for a doubles clash. For the entirety of the tournament’s span, Bjorn Borg has captained Team Europe, but times may change to much enjoyment for fans.
Roger Federer’s interest to leading Team Europe in Laver Cup
Taking to the court for an interview, Roger Federer soaked in the applause of the Canadian crowd who had thronged to the stadium to catch a glimpse of the tennis legend.
The 42-year-old began his speech by reiterating a promise he had made to himself that he would “not be a stranger to the Tour” in life post-retirement.
He then stated that he would love to captain Team Europe, with whom he has won three Laver Cup titles, someday.
“I’ve made myself a promise that I’ll be no stranger to the tour, I’ll try to come back from time to time, not all the time, but from time to time,” Federer said.
Captains in the Laver Cup do not play but offer coaching to the group of players on either side of the net during the match. Bjorn Borg and Joh McEnroe have been longtime captains of their teams.
The 2023 Laver Cup will be contested between Team Europe, which is made up of Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud, Hubert Hurkacz, Davidovich Fokina, Gael Monfils, and Arthur Fils, and Team World, which is made up of Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton, and Francisco Cerundolo.
Federer opens up about missing tennis one year after retirement
Roger Federer turned pro in 1998 and played for 24 years as a professional tennis player. In that time, he rose to the top of the sport and has become one of the world’s most profitable and marketable athletes.
Life after retirement has provided the Swiss with different issues to tackle, but he said that he still reminisces about his time on tour while enjoying his current situation.
“In a way, I miss everything about the game, the exciting moments spent on court, break points saved, winning match points, holding up trophies, walking past the fans, taking selfies” he said.
“It’s been beautiful to be home more, spending time with my friends and family has been incredible. I don’t have the weight of another match, of another practice where the body is maybe not right. I do miss a lot of the places that I used to travel to regularly.” Federer added.
How exciting is the prospect of seeing Roger Federer back on the tennis court? Will the Swiss play an integral part in the Laver Cup in the future? Let us know in the comments section below.
