Federer to play in Istanbul event in April

ISTANBUL

AFP Photo

Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer will compete at the first edition of TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open in April, organizers announced on Feb. 17.

The first-ever ATP World Tour event in Turkey will be played on clay from April 27-May 3 at the Koza World of Sports facility where the center court features a retractable roof and will provide seating for 7,500 people.

The only male player to win 17 Grand Slam singles titles, Federer had been ranked world no.1 for a record total of 302 weeks, clinching a total number of 83 tour-level championships including 23 Masters titles.

In a video message posted on the tournament’s official website, Federer invited Turkish tennis enthusiasts to the event.

“I’m very excited to be coming to Istanbul for the first time in my life. [Turkey] has been a country I have always wanted to visit and [Istanbul] is a very exciting city from what I’ve heard” Federer says in the video message. “I hope you can come and see me play there in April; I can’t wait.”

Federer returns to action in two weeks at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where he will seek to retain his crown from a year ago and claim his seventh title overall in the Arabian desert.

“I’ve been back on the practice courts for the last couple of days,” Federer said on Feb. 14. “[I’m] very excited to be back on the ATP World Tour at the end of the month.”

The Istanbul Open was not among the tournaments on Federer’s initial tournament schedule, which was announced last week.