Roger Federer says he hopes to return from a long-term knee injury at Doha's Qatar Open in March.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion will miss the Australian Open for the first time in his career after having two knee surgeries in 2020.
The Swiss has not played since his loss to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals in Melbourne in January last year.
"I want to celebrate great victories again and for that I'm ready to go the long, hard road," the 39-year-old said.
The Qatar Open, which Federer has won three times, is set to run from 8 to 13 March.
Speaking to Swiss broadcaster SRF, Federer said his main goals for the year were to play at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games.
Federer has won Wimbledon eight times and was a silver medallist in the men's singles at the 2012 Olympics in London.
"I've been thinking about when and where to come back for a long time," Federer said.
"I wanted to make my comeback at a smaller tournament so that I wasn't fully in focus and where the stress is also a little less."
The Australian Open, which was delayed by three weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic, begins on 8 February.
Latest Stories
-
We’ll establish fiscal council to rein in excessive borrowing – Finance Minister
6 mins -
Mortuary workers issue fresh strike threat
10 mins -
‘Lapses in banking system are not unique’ – John Awuah on managing fraud in Ghana’s Banks
18 mins -
Bawumia confident of victory in 2024 election
52 mins -
Strengthening audit institutions essential for tackling fiscal mismanagement – Domelevo
1 hour -
Healthy Aging: The Role of the Gut Microbiome and How Diet Can Help
1 hour -
Seek medical care, diagnosis for breast cancer – Dr Abiti to women
1 hour -
Hardship: Men now collect marriage list from different families to get cheapest – Report
1 hour -
‘If you’re looking for trouble, you’ll get it,’ Falz tells VeryDarkMan
1 hour -
Paramount Chief of Avenor grateful to NPP, calls for completion of Agenda 111 project
2 hours -
Bawumia commissions ultramodern office complex for Ho Municipal Assembly
2 hours -
Bawumia declares NPP’s infrastructure record unmatched
2 hours -
Importers face duty on Electric Vehicles despite gov’t’s exemption promises
2 hours -
4 additional Democracy Hub protesters discharged
2 hours -
Election 2024: Alan Kyerematen lacks a message – Hassan Ayariga
2 hours