Madrid (AFP)
Roger Federer, who has not played on clay for almost two years, is included in the preliminary list of participants at the Madrid Open (May 2-9), where he will meet Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, announced the organizers Tuesday.
This will be the first time that the three members of the "Big Three" have been reunited in a single tournament for almost a year and a half, at the 2020 Australian Open. All the current members of the top-45 of the ATP rankings are are also registered for the tournament in the Spanish capital.
The 39-year-old Swiss recently returned to the track at the Qatar Open in Doha after a 13-month absence due to two right knee operations last year.
He was beaten and eliminated from the tournament in his second match against Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili (3-6, 6-1, 7-5) on March 11.
Winner of 20 Grand Slam titles, Federer has won only one on clay (Roland-Garros 2009).
In the last five editions of the French tournament, he has only appeared once, in 2019, where he reached the semi-finals.
Federer's last title on clay dates back to 2015 in Istanbul, but his last coronation on this surface in a Masters 1000 dates from 2012, in Madrid precisely.
Among the ladies, most of the best players on the world circuit will also be present, with the notable exception of Serena Williams.
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