After Madrid Open exit, Roger Federer set to make Italian Open return

World number three Roger Federer is all set to make a return to Rome for the first time in three years after signing up to play in the next week's Italian Open.

Earlier this week, the 20-time Grand Slam Champion made a return to clay-court for the first time since May 2016 at the Madrid Open. Federer was beaten by Dominic Thiem of Australia 6-3, 6-7, 4-6 in the quarter-finals of the men's singles event to bow out of the tournament on Friday. 

Following the defeat, Federer took to his official Instagram handle to reveal that he now is making a return to Rome as he looks to boost his preparation ahead of French Open where he is making a comeback for the first time since 2015, the express.co.uk reported. 

 "Hello everybody just finished speaking to the team and happy to say I’m coming back to Rome to play in Italy.Can’t wait. So exciting. It’s been too long. I’ll see you there. Ciao tutti. Bye," Federer said in a video message posted on social media. 

Federer will receive a first-round bye as the No 3 seed in Rome before he is likely to kickstart his campaign against either Frances Tiafoe or Joao Sousa on Wednesday.

In recent years, Federer has missed the clay-court seasons in its entirety, including the second major of the season--French Open, in order to boost up his preparation for his all-time favourite grass-court season. 

While Federer has reached the finals in Rome Foro Italico on four occasions but failed to lift the title, his only victory at the French Open final came in 2009.