Roger Federer at 41: Will he play the US Open? When will he return? Will he win another Grand Slam?

“Inactive”. Probably not the way Roger Federer would want to be classed as he turns 41. Yet, as one of the greatest tennis players of all-time officially turns the page on another year, he does so without an ATP ranking for the first time in 25 years.

How long he remains “inactive” – the term given to him by the ATP – is not known. Ad Federer has not played since losing in straight sets in the 2021 Wimbledon quarter-finals to Hubert Hurcakz and then undergoing a third knee operation. He is not expected to return for the upcoming US Open, missing the Grand Slam, which he won five times in succession between 2004 and 2008, for the third year in a row.

WTA Toronto'I'm getting closer to the light' — Williams hints at retirement after first win of 20223 HOURS AGO So what lies ahead for Federer in his 42nd year and when will he be back on a tennis court? For now, the Laver Cup is circled as Federer’s return date. The exhibition team event, which Federer helped create, will this year be played at London’s O2 Arena on September 23-25. Federer is signed up to play for Team Europe along with Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

It will be the first time the ‘Big Four’ have played the same competition since the 2019 Australian Open. Medvedev, Zverev, Nadal and the battle to be world No. 1 Raducanu excited for 'clean slate' after US Open Federer is then scheduled to play the Swiss Indoors in his hometown of Basel on October 22.

That may be his only competitive ATP Tour event of the season. If that goes according to plan then it will be time to look ahead to 2023, and a potential farewell tour. To think next year will be anything other than Federer’s chance to say goodbye is probably optimistic.