Federer to skip part of clay season to focus on Wimbledon

Roger Federer is considering missing a large part of the clay-court season to chase another Wimbledon crown.

Roger Federer of Switzerland returns the ball to France’s Benoit Paire during the Dubai Tennis Championships

So high are Roger Federer’s hopes of adding another grand slam title to his collection of 18 at Wimbledon that the 35-year-old is considering missing a substantial part of the clay court season to ensure that he is in peak physical shape at Wimbledon.

Federer surpassed his expectations after a six-month lay-off at the end of 2016 by winning the Australian Open in January to end a drought of four and a half years without a major title. The benefits of a break from the grind of regular tournament play were clear and the Swiss is considering the possibility of more downtime next month.

Although he is unlikely to miss the French Open, Federer, who returned to action at the Dubai Duty Free Championships on Monday with a 6-1 6-3 first-round win against Benoit Paire, of France, has acknowledged his best chance of claiming further grand slam glory will come on the grass of London rather than the clay of Paris.

“I know the French Open is going to be hard just because I would have to put in so much work during the clay court season even to be perfectly ready for it and even then there is no guarantee,” Federer said.

“I have to ask myself the question, how much am I going to put into it?

“At Wimbledon and the US Open I always have chances as long as I’m playing and am healthy. The courts suit me. The goal will be Wimbledon. I know this is where I have my best chance and I hope to be at 100 per cent.”

A final decision on Federer’s clay schedule will be made after this run of three tournaments in five weeks: Dubai, Indian Wells and Miami. He has it in mind, though, that a period of rest and recuperation, followed by practice and fitness work will serve him better than competitive play.

“I will only decide on the clay court swing after Miami,” Federer said. “In my best years I played three, sometimes four (clay) tournaments. That’s always going to be a hard ask right now. The body also needs some healing again.”

The Times