Injury Forces Roger Federer Out of Doha

Written by: Staff on 6th January 2012

Qatar ExxonMobil ATP Open Tennis tournament 2012

Injury Forces Roger Federer Out of Doha

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Andreas Seppi of Italy during their quarter final match of the Qatar ExxonMobil ATP Open Tennis tournament at Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha, Qatar, 05 January 2012. Federer won 6-3, 5-7 and 6-4. EPA/STRINGER |

Roger Federer has joined the early 2012 injury list, with a sore back forcing him to quit before his semi-final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the ATP event in Doha. The world No. 3 said that despite his pain, he is told that a few days of rest should see him through to be ready when the Australian Open starts a week from Monday.

“This is not the time to risk anything. I’m optimistic for Australia. I’ll get through it without playing and with treatment. Hopefully, by next week I’ll be 100 per cent again.”

The injury is the first of the season for a major player on the men’s side after injury problems this week for Serena Williams (ankle), Maria Sharapova (the same) and Kim Clijsters who had to quit a match in Brisbane with a hip flexor injury.

Federer, 30, won 20 straight matches since last November. He called his problem “not crazy-bad, but not good.”

Federer has gone two years since his last major title, winning his record 16th major singles crown in Australia in January, 2010.

Topics: Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Roger Federer