“I want him back really badly; I wish I could play like one more time against him” - Matteo Berrettini on Roger Federer

Matteo Berrettini expressed his desire to have Roger Federer back on tour and play against him at least once again.

Berrettini defeated former World No. 1 Andy Murray in the third round of the US Open on Friday. In his post-match press conference, Berrettini was asked about the impact Roger Federer has had on the sport.

The Italian had plenty of words of admiration for the Swiss maestro, stating that it was Federer who inspired him to be a tennis player.

“The reason why I'm here now is Roger. He was my idol when I was growing up. I was cheering for him. So I want him back really badly,” he revealed.

“I think (he) was great, is still great for tennis. He brought tennis to even, like, a higher level, just for the stuff he did on court, off court. Like Serena, I guess, one of a kind, you know?” he added.

The 26-year-old further wished the tennis legend a speedy recovery and expressed the desire to play against him.

“I wish him, like, really a speedy recovery, whatever he's doing to come back. Yeah, I wish I could play like one more time against him,” he said.

Berrettini has played against Federer twice before, losing both times at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships and the 2019 ATP World Tour Finals. The Italian was slated to face off against Federer once again in the fourth round of the 2021 French Open, but the former World No. 1 withdrew before the match.

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Roger Federer slated to compete in 2022 Laver Cup

Roger Federer is expected to take part in the 2022 Laver Cup.

After spending a long time on the sidelines, Roger Federer is expected to be back in action at the Laver Cup this year. The Swiss legend will represent Team Europe alongside heavyweights like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Casper Ruud.

The event will be held from September 23-25 at the O2 in London.

Federer is further scheduled to play in front of his home crowd at the ATP 500 tournament in Basel. The tournament is scheduled for October 22-30.

The 41-year-old was seen practicing on the tennis courts recently. His hitting partner was none other than his wife Mirka Federer. The 20-time Major winner took to social media to post a picture of his wife, a former tennis player, in the midst of a practice session.