Federer returns as Serena, Osaka regroup at Maimi Open

The Miami Open announced Thursday its player field for the upcoming 2021 tournament, and the biggest news is that 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer is on the list.

The Swiss superstar, who has undergone two right knee operations in the past year, last played on January 30, 2020, when he lost to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semifinals. He is scheduled to make his long-awaited return at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, which begins March 8.

The Miami Open field boasts 21 players with a combined 116 career Grand Slam singles titles, including Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and reigning Australian Open champions Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka.

All the top 77 ranked men and 75 of the top 78 ranked women have entered the Miami Open, which will be held for the second time at Hard Rock Stadium. It runs March 22 to April 4.

Federer, the 2019 Miami Open champion, and Djokovic, a six-time winner in Miami, lead a men’s field that includes 20-time Grand Slam champion Nadal. The tournament will also feature the next generation of stars including 2021 Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev, 2020 US Open Champion Dominic Thiem, 2019 ATP Finals champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, world No. 7 Alexander Zverev and entertaining Australian star Nick Kyrgios

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The women’s field is led by Osaka, who just won her fourth Grand Slam title in Australia, and 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams, who has won eight titles in Miami. World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, the 2019 Miami Open champion, will be back to defend her title. The tournament was not held in 2020 due to the pandemic.