When Roger Federer retired in 2022, he said he was certain his time on the professional tour was over. But this week, the 20-time Grand Slam champion suggested he may return to the court for exhibition matches, signaling a possible comeback in a non-competitive setting
“Honestly, I would like to play some more tennis again,” Federer told TNT Sports as he attends the 2025 Masters. “Enough with the golf already, for the moment. I played so much. I would like to start playing two or three times a week again and hopefully get myself back on the exhibition court. Hopefully, maybe fill up a few nice stadiums around the world.”
“I have no plans yet, but I know that the training part, I missed it a little bit to be honest. I haven’t played a whole lot since I retired. My body needed a break and maybe also my mind a little bit,” he explained.
However, Federer said he has been practicing with his kids. “I played with my kids, you know. But I would like to go practice a little bit for myself, as well,” he said. Certainly, tennis fans all over the world will hold on to his word.
The Swiss star retired during the Laver Cup in 2022, after missing almost all of the 2021 and 2022 seasons due to an injury of his knee. Federer, one of the highest-paid tennis players of all time, retired with 20 Grand Slam titles, including a record-breaking of eight Wimbledon titles. He was World No. 1 for 310 weeks, including 237 consecutive weeks, an all-time record.
Federer’s exhibition attendance records
During his 20-year career, Federer played several exhibition matches, mostly to support the work of his foundation. In 2024, he and Rafael Nadal broke the attendance record for a tennis match, while playing in Cape Town in front of 51,954 spectators for the sixth edition of the ‘Match for Africa.’
The event also raised over $3.5 million for the Roger Federer Foundation, combining sport with philanthropy on a grand scale. Federer has also played exhibitions in several countries of Latin America, including Colombia, Argentina and Brazil.