Fed says he skipped the FO "based on health"

[BeatlesFan]

Federer has 'no regrets' over Roland Garros absence

Roger Federer says he has no regrets over missing the entire clay-court season, including the French Open.

After starting 2017 in sensational fashion, winning the Australian Open and Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami, Federer opted to enjoy a period of rest that resulted in him not competing at Roland Garros as Rafael Nadal claimed a 10th title.

Federer' return to action in Stuttgart last week proved brief as he suffered a shock defeat to fellow veteran Tommy Haas, but the Swiss remains at peace with his decision to take time away from the ATP World Tour.

"Considering how well I felt going into Paris, it was surprisingly easy to take the decision and after making it I never had any regrets watching it or following the results," said the Swiss ahead of the Gerry Weber Open in Halle - an event he has won on eight occasions.

"I never thought, 'if only I was part of the tournament'. I was looking ahead to the grass season and enjoyed the time with my friends and family at home.

For a long time the schedule was to play Paris but all of a sudden I just felt that I wouldn't be comfortable doing it. I didn't want to compromise the goal of the grass-court season, Wimbledon, the US Open and beyond.

"I felt that the French Open may potentially have a negative effect on what's to come. It may have been helpful, but I felt there was more risk that it would go the other way. Based on health, that’s why I decided to skip.

"But it's not a trend that I might follow in the future. I don't know what the future holds. This was just a one-off decision."

Reflecting on his three-set defeat to Haas earlier this week, Federer added: "It could have been better in Stuttgart, but then again I had match point. It wasn't like I lost 6-2, 6-2 and everything was terrible.

"A comeback is never simple, especially on grass where margins are so slim. It's a serve or a passing shot or a return that determines the outcome of the match.

"That's what it ended up being against Tommy, even though I felt I should have found a way home, having been a set and a break up."

Federer could not ask for a more comfortable setting for his next event, given his multiple successes in Halle.

"The history I have here, having come and played well so often, definitely should help me to play good tennis this week," he noted.

"I love playing here. I think I can come in here with good confidence."

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/federer-apos-no-regrets-apos-213100716.html

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Sing me a love song. Drop me a line.

Roger is doing fine.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Sing me a love song. Drop me a line.

Roger is doing fine.

Hope he's doing fine in the late afternoon of Sunday, July 15 at Centre Court.

 

[Phoenix1983]

Not sure I believe Fed here.

He skipped the FO because he knew he wouldn't win it.

 

[Gary Duane]

Not sure I believe Fed here.

He skipped the FO because he knew he wouldn't win it.

Both, I think. Because he had no realistic chance of winning there, it makes sense that he would save his body for a major where he has a good chance.

That said, I think another break this long is a bridge too far. I expect his inactivity to sink his chances at Wimbledon.

I hope I am wrong.

 

[scotus]

Silent ban.

 

[kishnabe]

Silent ban.

Silent Bans aren't that short...

 

[BeatlesFan]

That said, I think another break this long is a bridge too far. I expect his inactivity to sink his chances at Wimbledon.

I hope I am wrong.

I agree on both points.

Lendl skipped the FO twice in his career to improve his chances at Wimbledon (and I'm not trying to compare the two men as grass court players). But Ivan said a few years ago that while he didn't regret skipping the FO, he did say playing on clay "dials in" your ground strokes and lack of clay hurt hurt him on grass. He realized that only in retrospect. Agassi said something very similar during the FO. He thought that skipping clay was not a wise move going into the grass season.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Silent ban.

 

[scotus]

Silent Bans aren't that short...

Must be a short silent ban.

 

[duaneeo]

Roger's breaks don't worry me much. He made the SF last year injured and with almost the same amount of matchplay.

 

[cc0509]

Both, I think. Because he had no realistic chance of winning there, it makes sense that he would save his body for a major where he has a good chance.

That said, I think another break this long is a bridge too far. I expect his inactivity to sink his chances at Wimbledon.

I hope I am wrong.

I don't think skipping the clay season will make one bit of difference for Federer at Wimbledon. Federer will have enough grass match play by playing Halle and working himself into form at Wimbledon. The Wimbledon draw will make the difference because a big hitter like Kyrgios/Zverev can have a great day and Federer could have a mediocre one. Also, we have to remember that Federer is 35 and expecting him to win multiple slams in a year is possibly expecting too much. His AO/IW/Miami form isn't a guarantee for solid form the rest of the year but at the same time, the field is weak so he may be able to take advantage. We'll see.

 

[BeatlesFan]

I don't think skipping the clay season will make one bit of difference for Federer at Wimbledon. Federer will have enough grass match play by playing Halle.

What if he loses second round in Halle? That would mean he will enter Wimbledon with about 3 hours of actual match play total going into a major. I know, I know... "he had no match play prior to the AO and look what happened." Fair enough, but I really am going to be tearing my hair out if he doesn't show some skills in Halle.

 

[Nashvegas]

A Halle flameout wouldn't be ideal, but best of five and the pressure of a slam will get him into week two at Wimby as he ramps things up. Should start clicking from there... he said hopefully.

 

[coloskier]

Considering how many people blew out of the tournament due to injuries, he made the correct decision. I don't think I've ever seen it so bad on the supposedly better for the body than hard courts

What if he loses second round in Halle? That would mean he will enter Wimbledon with about 3 hours of actual match play total going into a major. I know, I know... "he had no match play prior to the AO and look what happened." Fair enough, but I really am going to be tearing my hair out if he doesn't show some skills in Halle.

His 2nd round match will be the only tough one until the finals......

 

[Sentinel]

Silent ban.

Didn't want Fedr "tearing it up on clay" ?

 

[sportsfan1]

Federer's chances of winning RG were, as he says, very slim, so not playing RG looks ok. But skipping RG and skipping the entire clay season are two different things. When he blames his loss at Stuttgart to lack of match play and the unpredictability of grass, that makes it sound like he should have played some of the clay season to keep his game and mind sharp for the tournaments.

Of course, all of that is just logically speaking. He did go into oz having lost to Zverev, and then won the the australian open, so maybe it doesn't make a difference. On top of that, it's not like he can't hire some pros to play him some matches on his own grass courts while the clay season is going on. It's not the same as playing the top players, but still it avoids rust.

 

[Rafa24]

It won't matter he skipped clay has his serve that will get him through the first few rounds in BO5 matches while he finds the rest of his game. I don't think he was that mentally tuned in against Haas. Only thing I see that could spell trouble for him is if he meets Tomic early.

 

[Waspsting]

Not sure I believe Fed here.

He skipped the FO because he knew he wouldn't win it.

I don't believe him completely - along the lines you said

I believe him partially because he gave up a lot of points. Slams maybe his priority, but passing up such an opportunity to make headway in the World Ranking suggests to me that he truly felt his body needed the rest

 

[TheGhostOfAgassi]

What if he loses second round in Halle? That would mean he will enter Wimbledon with about 3 hours of actual match play total going into a major. I know, I know... "he had no match play prior to the AO and look what happened." Fair enough, but I really am going to be tearing my hair out if he doesn't show some skills in Halle.

Maybe he could hang out and Play w Rafa in Mallorca. Rafa practices on grass there that has the same grass as AELTC.
Federer has been there before and supporting Rafas Academy. Just a suggestion
Then, next year, they will play doubles together.

 

[Gary Duane]

I agree on both points.

Lendl skipped the FO twice in his career to improve his chances at Wimbledon (and I'm not trying to compare the two men as grass court players). But Ivan said a few years ago that while he didn't regret skipping the FO, he did say playing on clay "dials in" your ground strokes and lack of clay hurt hurt him on grass. He realized that only in retrospect. Agassi said something very similar during the FO. He thought that skipping clay was not a wise move going into the grass season.

I think you and all these people are right, and being sharp on return is critical to Fed again having a good chance at Wimbledon.

It is more likely that Wimbledon will jump start his return game enough to help him on HCs.

It is more likely that playing say one clay tournament and then washing out the first week at RG would have been better for him.

I don't want to say that skipping clay was arrogant - they guy has earned the right to spend more time with his family and start to have a life apart from tennis - but I think it's a sign that tennis is no longer the most important thing in his life.

That's good for his family, probably good for the rest of his life, not so good for his record this year.

 

[junior74]

Federer facing peaking older Zverev who's entered top 30 for the first time, playing great grass tennis in R2 is a good test.

 

[octobrina10]

Maybe he could hang out and Play w Rafa in Mallorca. Rafa practices on grass there that has the same grass as AELTC.
Federer has been there before and supporting Rafas Academy. Just a suggestion
Then, next year, they will play doubles together.

Rafa and Fed have played in Mallorca:

As for 'Federer has been there before and supporting Rafas Academy', Fed was a guest at the opening ceremony, that's all.

They will be doubles partners at the Laver Cup in September.

 

[TheGhostOfAgassi]

Rafa and Fed have played in Mallorca:

As for 'Federer has been there before and supporting Rafas Academy', Fed was a guest at the opening ceremony, that's all.

Yes I watched the ceremony, all of it. Federer very supporting to Rafa and praises Rafa and the Academy. Wish his fans could be as nice as Federer is. It was Federer suggesting to come to the Academy. Great opening ceremony it was!

You never know, Federer might actually come and practice there, his fans would hate it though.