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AP
![Where is Roger Federer making his comeback? One possibility: the ATP tournament in Rotterdam.]()
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Where is Roger Federer making his comeback? One possibility: the ATP tournament in Rotterdam.
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AFP
![The Dutch ex-professional Richard Krajicek is hoping for a Federer start at the tournament in Holland.]()
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The Dutch ex-professional Richard Krajicek is hoping for a Federer start at the tournament in Holland.
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AFP
![Krajicek is the tournament director of the 500 event.]()
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Krajicek is the tournament director of the 500 event.
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Getty Images
![At that time he made himself No. 1 in the world rankings again.]()
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At that time he made himself No. 1 in the world rankings again.
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Tennis fans have been puzzling since Roger Federer (39) canceled his participation in the Australian Open. When will the maestro finally return to the tour?
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A frequently discussed comeback opportunity: The 500 tournament in Dubai in mid-March. Federer often trains in the Emirates and prepares for the start of the season in winter. So this year too – so it would be perfectly logical for the Swiss superstar to contest his first tournament after a long knee surgery break in the golf metropolis.
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“Federer is always welcome here”
But the tournament officials are also raising their hopes elsewhere. For example in the Netherlands. There, the former Wimbledon winner Richard Krajicek is director of the Rotterdam 500 tournament, which starts on March 1st. “Roger Federer knows that he is always welcome here,” says Krajicek.
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Normally you wait for the “Big Three”, consisting of Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, for their managers to get in touch and signal that their star is interested in participating in the tournament. “But in view of the possibility that arises here, I can ask by email whether there is a realistic possibility.”
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First Rotterdam, then Dubai?
The question is how big the chance of a Federer appearance in Rotterdam actually is. “I know that he likes to play in Dubai,” said the Dutchman. In principle, this is not an obstacle. “He could play in Rotterdam first and then in Doha or Dubai.”
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What is certain is that a little patience is required for the time being. Krajicek: “If he doesn’t know yet whether he will be ready on February 8th, it is probably not yet clear whether he can start on March 1st. But playing best-of-three is not the same as best-of-five. “
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In 2018, Federer played for free
Federer Rotterdam has already won three times. For the last time in 2018, when he won the tournament and regained first place in the ATP world rankings. At that time, the maestro entered for free, that is, without asking for an entry fee, because he had asked for a wild card after his Aussie Open victory.
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It wasn’t always like this: in 2012 and 2013, the Swiss got his start in the Dutch port city gilded with 1 million US dollars. It is not known how it will look this year. If you consider the hype that Federer’s first appearance in the ATP circus would cause for a year – a multi-million dollar premium would be well worth it for the tournament. (red)
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Published: January 10th, 2021, 01:05 am–
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