Roger Federer meets with Frances Tiafoe & other Laver Cup members on his return one year after retirement

Roger Federer reunited with Frances Tiafoe and other Laver Cup team members during a training session in Vancouver, marking his return to the tennis scene one year after retiring.

In a video shared on social media on Wednesday, Roger Federer was seen approaching the court where Frances Tiafoe was in the midst of a training session for the upcoming sixth edition of the Laver Cup, set to occur from September 22 to 24. In the video, they exchanged greetings, shared smiles, and reminisced about Federer's previous visit to the court, particularly the emotional moments when he shed tears.

“ Last time I was on this court, you had a lot of tears on this court,” Tiafoe said.

“This bench, huh,” Federer humorously replied.

Roger Federer's final match of his career took place at the Laver Cup 2022, where he and his long-time rival and friend, Rafael Nadal, teamed up for a doubles match against Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe. They narrowly lost 6–4, 6(2)-7, 9–11.

After Wimbledon 2021, Federer didn't compete in any singles tournaments and made his return to the tour at the 2022 Laver Cup in September. However, on September 15, 2022, he made the announcement of his impending retirement from professional tennis on the ATP Tour, specifying that the Laver Cup would be his final ATP event.

Roger Federer imparts Laver Cup guidance to first-timers

Laver Cup 2023 - Preview Day 2

Approaching the first anniversary of his retirement, the 20-time Grand Slam champion is content to take a back seat and enjoy watching his former ATP colleagues from the stands. This weekend in Vancouver, he'll be doing just that.

Federer had valuable advice for the Laver Cup newcomers this year. He emphasized the importance of thriving in a team environment, thorough preparation, and embracing the enthusiastic crowd. He noted that the timing of their matches matters and recommended that they seek guidance from those who have prior Laver Cup experience, as they can offer valuable insights.

“I think it’s [all about] thriving in the team environment, being well prepared and embracing a big crowd. It always depends on when you play, obviously, whether it’s opening day or the second day, but listen to the ones who have already been at Laver Cups before, and they can give you some sound advice,” Federer said.

“I’m sure they’ll be fine. They’re all excellent players here, we’re talking about world-class players,” he added.

The Swiss legend played a pivotal role in Team Europe's triumphs against Team World in 2017, 2018, and 2019.