Holder Roger Federer has withdrawn from this week’s Paris Masters as a precaution in order to be perfectly fit for the year-end World Tour Finals which follow immediately on from the last event of the ATP regular season.
The world No. 1 and defending champion at the Bercy arena pulled out in the wake of his loss in the weekend final of the Swiss Indoors, where he was defeated 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-3) by Juan Del Potro.
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The 31-year-old said he had informed tournament director Guy Forget, leaving Novak Djokovic to take over the top spot in the field ahead of Andy Murray. “I’m not going to Paris, it’s too much for me.
“I have some niggling stuff that I want to heal, I don’t want to take a chance for London. I tried to make up my mind yesterday and again today. I need some time to prepare properly for London.”
Federer will now concentrate next week on getting ready for the eight-man World Tour Finals in London, which he also won in 2011.
“In a way, missing Paris is disappointing. I remember how great it was to win the title a year ago. I had one of the best weeks of my life there.
“I don’t want to mislead anyone, but this was a very last-minute decision. But it was the only right decision for me if I want to play a good London.”
©Daily Tennis News Wire
Topics: Paris Masters, Roger Federer, Roger Federer Withdrawls, Sports, Tennis News