Federer unlikely to play Laver Cup singles, might partner Nadal in doubles

Federer, a winner of 20 Grand Slam titles and one of the best players of all time, sparked a global outpouring of emotional reactions when he announced he would retire after this week's Laver Cup.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer of Team Europe in 2019 (File photo) | Photo Credit: Julian Finney

Roger Federer, who announced his imminent retirement from tennis last week, is unlikely to play singles in the 2022 Laver Cup.

“Maybe I can play doubles with Rafa, that would be an absolute dream,” the Swiss great told  Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) on Tuesday.

The annual exhibition tournament, which Federer has chosen for his final on-court appearance as a player, will see the Swiss great reunited with his contemporaries like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Last Thursday he admitted on social media that his battles with a knee problem had forced him to call time on a historic career that had earned him a reputation as one of the most elegant players the game has ever seen.

As he arrived in London for his final ATP event, he told Swiss broadcaster RTS that he was "relieved" to have made the announcement, and "very happy to have been able to have the career I have had."

“It can’t be that I’m trying to run after something that is hardly realistic anymore,” Federer told SRF.

He said that in recent months "my progress was not satisfactory, that my knee was not letting me go."

"Then I received a scan that was not great, and there was no more progress," he said. "I told myself that it was over. Honestly, I didn't want to do it anymore.

Federer acknowledged that he choked back "a tear or two when he announced his coming retirement last week, but felt he was "happy to have taken the step."

Asked about what his plans were going forward, the tennis great said "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."