After his opening defeat in Miami, Roger Federer has announced his renunciation of the entire clay court season. As he did last year, the 36-year-old Swiss will not be competing at the French Open. Federer lost 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (4-7) against the Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis on Saturday and has to give the world ranking lead to the currently injured Rafael Nadal.
Federer said last week after the early Miami K.o. that the decision to forego the ash season in 2017 had already been made. “We discussed this in the team and had the feeling that it was better to protect the body. We came to this decision quite quickly,” emphasized the Grand Slam record champion. This makes the 2009 Paris triumph his only French Open coup.
Last year, the superstar’s anti-sand strategy paid off. Federer was able to regenerate and prepare for the lawn weeks. The plan worked out: At Church Road he won his eighth Wimbledon title since 2003. Thus the Swiss will probably become at the earliest from 11. June at the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart.