No Federer at the “Eternal City” from May 9 to 16, Masters 1000 where he was four times finalist.
The reasons have not been given but it is a logical dead end since the Maestro would rather lean for two tournaments only on ocher this season.
The man with the 20 Grand Slam titles is already announced in Madrid (from May 2 to 9), a Masters 1000 which he has already won three times.
The Swiss press blows the idea that he may be participating in the ATP 250 in Geneva (May 15-22), just before Roland-Garros ... After his big comeback in Doha, Federer had two main goals in mind : Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics.
Federer, who won 11 of his 103 clay court titles (the last one dating from 2015 in Istanbul), had skipped Dubai and Miami Switzerland to gain strength physically before the big deadlines of the summer.
It has been a habit since 2016, not the fact the trip to Monte-Carlo.
For the time being, the former world number one has not officially confirmed his presence on the courts of the Porte d'Auteuil, but the time is rather for optimism if we are to believe his latest statements.
"The important thing is to play matches," he explained in March when he resumed.
And what happens before the grass season is the clay season.
From this point of view, if I want to play matches, I have no choice but to play on land. ”
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Roger Federer ready to take up the challenge of clay
Will the postponement of Roland-Garros thwart his plans?
The change of the date of the Parisian Grand Slam (May 30-June 13) so as to be able to hope to obtain the best possible gauge, will shorten the season on grass since Wimbledon was maintained from June 28 to July 12.
Which could thwart his plans.
The eight-time Wimbledon winner is thus registered in Halle (June 14 to 21) which must now begin the day after the Roland-Garros final.
The German tournament serving as a preparation for the London Grand Slam where he has more chances to shine than in Paris… The last appearance of the living legend of 39 years on clay dates back to the semi-final lost at Roland Garros against Rafael Nadal in 2019 (6-3, 6-4, 6-2).
It was the first time that the winner of the 2019 edition, four times beaten in the final, pushed back the Parisian clay.
Now 7th player in the world, his worst ranking since February 25, 2019, the Swiss had rather succeeded in his comeback in Doha, at the beginning of March with an elimination in the quarterfinals by the Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili.
All after thirteen months away from the circuit following two operations on the right knee.
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