Roger Federer Set to Make Long-Awaited Return to Tennis

Roger Federer will play in his first tennis match in front of a live crowd since 2022, with a return date and time now officially confirmed.

The Swiss icon, who won 103 career titles, retired from professional tennis in 2022 at the age of 41.

Federer had suffered from a number of injuries during his final years on tour, having reached his last Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in 2019 before losing a five-set classic to Novak Djokovic.

He stated that he would continue to play tennis, and competed at an exhibition match in Shanghai in October 2024.

Earlier this year, Federer confirmed that he would once again compete in Shanghai in an exhibition doubles match this year.

Chinese actor Wu Lei, former Chinese tennis Zheng Jie and Hong Kong-American actor and filmmaker Donnie Yen will also be taking part.

Significantly, the exhibition will be the first time that Federer has performed in front of a live crowd since his 2022 retirement.

The 44-year-old has strong links to China, having been involved in the opening ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

He has also made a number of visits to the country since retiring from professional tennis.

The country is currently hosting the Shanghai Masters ATP 1000 event, which runs until October 12.

US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz and Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner withdrew from the singles tournament due to injury - Sinner while playing his first round match - though Federer's long-time rival Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev are among the top stars who have reached the quarter-finals.

Medvedev takes on Australia's Alex De Minaur in the final quarter-final on Friday, as per the tournament's official Order of Play.

Underneath that matchup is a time slot for a 'Roger and Friends Celebrity Doubles' match, which will see Federer and Yen team up to take on Zheng and Wu.

No further details have been given, with the match due to start after Medvedev vs De Minaur, which will take place at 6:30pm (11:30am UK time) or later depending on the two earlier matches.

Earlier this week, Federer attended a local school in Shanghai to unveil several newly-renovated tennis courts - and revealed part of his motivation for choosing the city for his live-crowd tennis comeback.

He told Forbes: "Shanghai has a special place in my heart, and to see the game thriving here is incredibly rewarding. Giving young players and the community access to good facilities is key to growing the game."