Tommy Haas will come out of retirement to play in Berlin

German ex-tennis player Tommy Haas will participate in the two exhibition tournaments in Berlin in JulyOrganizers announced Tuesday.

Haas, who is now 42 years old and born in Hamburg, will participate along with the Germans Alexander Zverev and Julia Görges, in the short tournaments that will be played from July 13 to 15 on grass at the Steffi Graf stadium and from July 17 to 19 on hard courts at the Tempelhof airport hangar facilities. Two-time Wimbledon winner Czech tennis player Petra Kvitova also confirmed her participation.

“Who knows me knows that I don't come to Berlin just to be a good training partner,” said Haas.

Haas, who came second in the world ranking in 2002, is currently the tournament director for Indian Wells. This event was the first to be canceled in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The winner of 15 ATP titles and one Olympic silver at Sydney 2000 said he will prepare “intensively and professionally in the coming weeks.”

His last ATP match was against Jan-Lennard Struff in Kitzbühel in early August 2017. His last victory was in June 2017 on grass against Roger Federer in Stuttgart.

“Of course, I am curious to see how I will keep up with my much younger opponents. In any case, lack of practice in games should not be a problem, because the boys have hardly played serious games due to the tournament pause, “Haas said according to the statement.