20-time grand slam champion Roger Federer will be heading to Argentina in November as part of his South American tour.
The world No.3 is set to take on Juan Martin del Potro on November 20th. There has been speculation that the two would play an exhibition match in recent weeks, but it wasn’t confirmed until Tuesday evening when Del Potro released a video. It will be held at The Parque Roca Stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 15,500 people. The venue has held multiple Davis Cup ties over the years.
“I just wanted to tell you I’m so excited to come back to Argentina to play my good friend Juan Martin del Potro at Parque Roca,” Federer said in a video on Del Potro’s Twitter account.
On the tour, the two tennis titans have clashed 25 times since 2007. Federer currently leads their head-to-head 18-7, but lost their most recent meeting in the final of the 2018 BNP Paribas Open. Federer was the person who Del Potro defeated to win his first and so far only grand slam title at the 2009 US Open.
“I will play again in Argentina and, nothing more and nothing less than with one of the best tennis players in history, my friend Roger Federer.” The Argentine said in Spanish on social media.
Del Potro is currently on the comeback from injury. He hasn’t played a match since injuring his right patella at the Fever-Tree Championships in June, which required surgery. It was the second time he has injured his knee within the past year. He is set to return to the tour next month at the Stockholm Open.
Following on from his stint in Buenos Aires, Federer will then play in the Colombian capital of Bogota. In the country, he will face German tennis star Alexander Zverev on November 22nd. A player who he currently has a 3-3 head-to-head record against on the ATP Tour.
The Moviestar Arena Bogotá will be the host of the match. It has held numerous tennis exhibitions, including Federer’s clash with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga back in 2012.
“Getting Roger Federer returning to Colombia is something difficult to achieve. Colombia goes through a great moment in sports and that’s why we decided to call this event.” Organisers IMLA said in a statement.
Federer’s South American tour will take place during the same time as the Davis Cup Finals. An event he recently said he is unlikely to play in 2020.
https://twitter.com/IMLAdeColombia/status/1173987861282078721
