EloQuent
Legend
Roger Federer has won 20 Grand Slam singles titles. Only one has come at the French Open, the sole major tournament played on clay.
It's conventional wisdom that he was lucky to get that victory, in 2009, and that he won't repeat it.
After all, his aggressive, attacking game is built for fast courts. He's won 97 tournaments in his storied career, and only 11 have come on clay, the tour's slowest surface.
Plus, Federer doesn’t just prefer shorter points stylistically, he needs them from a physical standpoint. He's 36 years old. Top-level tennis is a young man’s game, and that’s especially the case for clay-court tennis, which is premised on long rallies from the baseline.
Rafael Nadal after winning the 2017 French Open. (AP)
Federer himself understands this better than anyone. He’s tried and failed to win at Roland Garros 16 times. He’s lost there more than at any of the other major tournaments. Last year, he skipped the event -- and the entire clay-court season leading up to it -- so he could be fresh for Wimbledon. It paid off: he won his record eighth title at the prestigious grass-court citadel.
So, it’s decided, then? No French Open? Not quite.
For starters, Roland Garros might have a depleted field this year. Clay-court god Rafael Nadal, who’s beaten Federer five times at the French Open and won a mind-boggling 10 titles at the tournament, hasn’t played since Melbourne in January. He’s struggling with a hip injury and various other aches and pains. The 31-year-old Spaniard is hoping to be back on tour in time for the Monte Carlo Masters next month, but who knows? Rafa’s uncle and former coach Toni Nadal has just said that Rafa “continuously lives with pain” -- and suggested that he might be at a mental breaking point.
"Many times he’s told me that he would have liked to earn less money in exchange for suffering less pain," Toni Nadal said, referring to his nephew’s long string of injuries over the years.
Novak Djokovic (AP)
Every tennis fan hopes Rafa is healthy and pain-free for the French Open, but no one would be wise to put down serious money on that happening.
Then there’s 2016 French Open king Novak Djokovic, who’s back from his own long injury break but who’s not himself out on court. The 12-time major champion lost early at the Australian Open and dropped his first match at Indian Wells. Is his balky elbow still not 100 percent? Has the father of two young kids, a thoughtful man with wide-ranging interests, lost the desire to get back to number one in the world? We just don’t know yet.
2015 Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka and 2016 runner-up Andy Murray also have been sidelined with pesky injuries that suggest they won’t be back to peak form in time for the French Open.
Dominic Thiem (AP)
Even the next generation is suffering. Dominic Thiem, considered the best clay-court player of the tour’s younger players, sustained a fracture in his ankle at Indian Wells.
"Unfortunately I have to pull out from [the Miami Open]," the 24-year-old two-time French Open semifinalist wrote on Instagram this week. "Hopefully I will be 100% again on the clay in Europe."
All of this means Federer could have a relatively easy draw at the French Open. But, for the Swiss great, it’s surely not about taking advantage of his rivals' absence or lack of form. He is, first and foremost, a proud competitor. Doesn’t he want one more shot at beating Rafa on Roland Garros’ clay, however unlikely such a victory would be? Wouldn’t he like to oust Djokovic on clay again, like he did in the 2011 French Open semifinals when he ended the Serb’s magnificent 43-match winning streak?
Federer and Nadal at the French Open (AP)
Federer surely feels he has such feats in him. Even at 36, even sporting a scraggly beard-in-the-making at Indian Wells, he appears to be as fresh and unbeatable as he has ever been. He’s 16-0 this season, including winning the Australian Open. He’s back at number-one in the rankings.
Federer might make the decision to play at Roland Garros at the 11th hour, based on his confidence and how his body feels. Could he skip the entire clay-court spring swing through Europe, diligently prepare for Wimbledon on grass practice courts -- and then suddenly show up in Paris ready to conquer Roland Garros?
That would be crazy -- for anyone, that is, not named Roger Federer.
-- Douglas Perry
http://www.oregonlive.com/expo/erry-2018/03/4aa5d7ba4f/why_roger_federer_will_play_an.html
It's conventional wisdom that he was lucky to get that victory, in 2009, and that he won't repeat it.
After all, his aggressive, attacking game is built for fast courts. He's won 97 tournaments in his storied career, and only 11 have come on clay, the tour's slowest surface.
Plus, Federer doesn’t just prefer shorter points stylistically, he needs them from a physical standpoint. He's 36 years old. Top-level tennis is a young man’s game, and that’s especially the case for clay-court tennis, which is premised on long rallies from the baseline.
Rafael Nadal after winning the 2017 French Open. (AP)
Federer himself understands this better than anyone. He’s tried and failed to win at Roland Garros 16 times. He’s lost there more than at any of the other major tournaments. Last year, he skipped the event -- and the entire clay-court season leading up to it -- so he could be fresh for Wimbledon. It paid off: he won his record eighth title at the prestigious grass-court citadel.
So, it’s decided, then? No French Open? Not quite.
For starters, Roland Garros might have a depleted field this year. Clay-court god Rafael Nadal, who’s beaten Federer five times at the French Open and won a mind-boggling 10 titles at the tournament, hasn’t played since Melbourne in January. He’s struggling with a hip injury and various other aches and pains. The 31-year-old Spaniard is hoping to be back on tour in time for the Monte Carlo Masters next month, but who knows? Rafa’s uncle and former coach Toni Nadal has just said that Rafa “continuously lives with pain” -- and suggested that he might be at a mental breaking point.
"Many times he’s told me that he would have liked to earn less money in exchange for suffering less pain," Toni Nadal said, referring to his nephew’s long string of injuries over the years.
Novak Djokovic (AP)
Every tennis fan hopes Rafa is healthy and pain-free for the French Open, but no one would be wise to put down serious money on that happening.
Then there’s 2016 French Open king Novak Djokovic, who’s back from his own long injury break but who’s not himself out on court. The 12-time major champion lost early at the Australian Open and dropped his first match at Indian Wells. Is his balky elbow still not 100 percent? Has the father of two young kids, a thoughtful man with wide-ranging interests, lost the desire to get back to number one in the world? We just don’t know yet.
2015 Roland Garros champion Stan Wawrinka and 2016 runner-up Andy Murray also have been sidelined with pesky injuries that suggest they won’t be back to peak form in time for the French Open.
Dominic Thiem (AP)
Even the next generation is suffering. Dominic Thiem, considered the best clay-court player of the tour’s younger players, sustained a fracture in his ankle at Indian Wells.
"Unfortunately I have to pull out from [the Miami Open]," the 24-year-old two-time French Open semifinalist wrote on Instagram this week. "Hopefully I will be 100% again on the clay in Europe."
All of this means Federer could have a relatively easy draw at the French Open. But, for the Swiss great, it’s surely not about taking advantage of his rivals' absence or lack of form. He is, first and foremost, a proud competitor. Doesn’t he want one more shot at beating Rafa on Roland Garros’ clay, however unlikely such a victory would be? Wouldn’t he like to oust Djokovic on clay again, like he did in the 2011 French Open semifinals when he ended the Serb’s magnificent 43-match winning streak?
Federer and Nadal at the French Open (AP)
Federer surely feels he has such feats in him. Even at 36, even sporting a scraggly beard-in-the-making at Indian Wells, he appears to be as fresh and unbeatable as he has ever been. He’s 16-0 this season, including winning the Australian Open. He’s back at number-one in the rankings.
Federer might make the decision to play at Roland Garros at the 11th hour, based on his confidence and how his body feels. Could he skip the entire clay-court spring swing through Europe, diligently prepare for Wimbledon on grass practice courts -- and then suddenly show up in Paris ready to conquer Roland Garros?
That would be crazy -- for anyone, that is, not named Roger Federer.
-- Douglas Perry
http://www.oregonlive.com/expo/erry-2018/03/4aa5d7ba4f/why_roger_federer_will_play_an.html
