Roger Federer scheduled to play first grass tournament in Stuttgart next week

STUTTGART, Germany -- Organizers say Roger Federer will return from a back injury to play at the grass-court tournament in Stuttgart next week.

Federer was forced to skip the French Open because of a lingering back injury.

Stuttgart tournament director Edwin Weindorfer says Federer is scheduled to practice on Sunday.

The former No. 1 had signed up for the inaugural grass-court edition of the tournament that used to be played on clay. Now, it is a warm-up for Wimbledon.

Federer is a seven-time Wimbledon champion. After Stuttgart, he's scheduled to play in Halle, another grass-court event he's won a record eight times.

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