By Alberto Amalfi | Thursday, April 28, 2016

 

Roger Federer, who raised Madrid titles in 2006, 2009 and 2012, will return to action at next week's Madrid Masters.

Photo credit: Miami Open

Roger Federer has joined the Madrid field.

The three-time Madrid champion will play next week's Mutua Madrid Open, the Masters tournament announced on its web site.

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"Federer is one of the best players in history and Madrid is a special place for him," Madrid tournament director and Hall of Famer Manolo Santana said. "We are delighted to have him back in the Caja Mágica. In addition, he is one of the fans’ favorites because of everything he has achieved in his career. We will be welcoming him with open arms.”

A year ago, a 20-year-old Nick Kyrgios outdueled Federer pulling off an epic 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (12) victory on his sixth match point bouncing the Swiss out of his Mutua Madrid Open opener. Federer fell to Kei Nishikori in the 2013 Madrid round of 16. He did not play the event in 2014.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion moved pretty fluidly in his return to tournament tennis in Monte Carlo earlier this month. Playing his first event since recovering from knee surgery after the Australian Open, Federer reached the Monte Carlo quarterfinals, falling to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in three sets.

The higher altitude and sometime faster clay conditions in Madrid have suited the third-ranked Swiss in the past.

Federer raised the Madrid Open trophy in 2006 (sweeping Fernando Gonzalez in the final), 2009 (defeating Rafael Nadal in the title match) and 2012 when he beat Tomas Berdych, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5.