Roger Federer has revealed that he "definitely" plans to return to the ATP Tour in 2023 but admitted he has not planned beyond his his scheduled appearances at the Laver Cup and his home tournament in Basel later this year.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion, who will be 41 in August, has not played since July last year, when he was knocked out of Wimbledon in the quarter-finals against Hubert Hurkacz. Federer has since undergone two separate knee surgeries.
Earlier this year, the Swiss confirmed his plans to team up with Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup in London, before competing at the Swiss Indoors tournament.
"Yes, definitely," Federer told newspaper Tages-Anzeiger when asked if he wanted to return to the ATP Tour in 2023. "How and where, I don't know yet. But that would be the idea.
"I haven't planned more than the Laver Cup and Basel yet. After Basel, the season is over anyway. It's important for me to get fit again so that I can train fully. Once I've done that, I can choose how many tournaments I play and where.
"The Laver Cup is a good start, I don't have to play five matches in six days. I will have be able to do that in Basel. But I'm hopeful, I've come a long way. I'm not far away."
Federer's Laver Cup teammate Nadal demolished Norway's Casper Ruud to claim a record-extending 14th Roland Garros crown earlier this month, and Federer was full of praise for the Spaniard's accomplishments.
"In general, it's just unbelievable what Rafa has achieved," Federer said. "The record of Pete Sampras, which I beat, was 14 Grand Slam titles.
"Now Rafa won the French Open 14 times. That's unbelievable. I was happy for him that he did it again. Hats off to Rafa. After the 10th, 11th time, I already thought, 'This can't be'. He keeps raising the bar. It's gigantic."
Federer paired up with Nadal for their first and only doubles match together at the inaugural edition of the Laver Cup in Prague in 2017.
Studying addiction
This month, Dubai Medical College launched the Middle East’s first master's programme in addiction science.
Together with the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, the college offers a two-year master’s course as well as a one-year diploma in the same subject.
The move was announced earlier this year and is part of a new drive to combat drug abuse and increase the region’s capacity for treating drug addiction.
Family reunited
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.
She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.
She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.
The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.
She was held in her native country a year later.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Ajax v Real Madrid, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, six-cylinder
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 395bhp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: from Dh321,200
On sale: now
Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Where to submit a sample
Volunteers of all ages can submit DNA samples at centres across Abu Dhabi, including: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), Biogenix Labs in Masdar City, NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City, NMC Royal Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi, NMC Royal Women's Hospital, Bareen International Hospital, Al Towayya in Al Ain, NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
