Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley has announced Roger Federer and Serena Williams will play at the 2021 Australian Open in January, delighting fans across the world.
On Sunday, Tiley said the year's first grand slam is expected to allow fans to fill up to 50 percent of seats at Melbourne Park.
The return of fans will mark a big change for Melbourne, which has been under a strict coronavirus lockdown for nearly three months.
The state of Victoria accounts for 90 per cent of Australia’s 894 COVID-19-related deaths.
Federer reached the semi-finals of this year’s Australian Open but the 20-times grand slam champion has missed the rest of the season after undergoing a second procedure on his right knee.
“Roger this morning just confirmed publicly he'll be here,” Tiley said on Sunday.
“Serena Williams will be here obviously trying to get Margaret Court's record, so we're excited about the players that will be here and what we'll put on.”
Federer, 39, said he can’t wait to return to the tour.
“Thankfully, with COVID-19, I’ve been healthy, everybody around me as well,” the Swiss legend said in a recent podcast.
“The Tour coming to a halt was tough to see but it’s back now so that's nice.”
Williams, also 39, pulled out of her second round match at the French Open due to an Achilles injury and is still one short of Court’s record of 24 grand slam titles.
Fans took to social media to celebrate the confirmation that Federer and Williams will be back in action in 2021.
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