ROGER FEDERER HAS TO PULL OUT OF THE 2016 FRENCH OPEN TENNIS ENDING HIS STREAK OF 65 SLAMS IN A ROW

Written by: Staff on 20th May 2016

French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros

ROGER FEDERER HAS TO PULL OUT OF THE 2016 FRENCH OPEN TENNIS ENDING HIS STREAK OF 65 SLAMS IN A ROW

epa04235105 Roger Federer of Switzerland returns to Ernests Gulbis of Latvia in their fourth round match during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 01 June 2014. EPA/CAROLINE BLUMBERG |

Roger Federer has finally set another mark to be beaten in the tennis record books after pulling out of the French Open because of an ongoing back injury. The 34 year-old Swiss had not missed a Grand Slam event this century with 65 majors, reluctantly accepted he was not fit to contest best of five sets matches after a couple of practice sessions at Roland Garros.

Rumors had been circulating of Federer’s inability to play ever since he admitted at last week’s Internazionale BNL d’Italia in Rome that he was someway short of full fitness after losing to Dominic Thiem.

The nearest challenger to Federer in terms of not missing a major is Spain’s Feliciano Lopez who is just a month younger than Federer and needs to play until Wimbledon 2018 to beat the Swiss. A week earlier he pulled out of the Mutua Madrid Open.

Rather than face the interrogation of a full-blown press conference at Roland Garros, Federer had his manager Tony Godsick ring French Open tournament director Guy Forget with the news and then issued a statement on his Facebook page.

“I regret to announce I have made the decision not to play in this year’s French Open,” he wrote. “I have been making steady progress with my overall fitness but I am still not 100 per cent and feel I might be taking an unnecessary risk by playing in this event before I am really ready.

“This decision was not easy to make, but I took it to ensure I could play the remainder of the season and help to extend the rest of my career. I remain as motivated and excited as ever and my plan is to achieve the highest level of fitness before returning to the ATP World Tour for the grass-court season. I am sorry for my fans in Paris but I very much look forward to returning to Roland Garros in 2017.”

Forget, himself a former top 4 player who was competitively active deep into his 30’s, felt an immense degree of sympathy and compassion for Federer who was to have been seeded third in the tournament he won just once in 2009.

“Roger’s manager Tony Godsick rang me a couple of hours ago to say he was feeling a little better but not strong enough to play best-of-five-sets matches against very good players,” said Forget, who succeeds Gilbert Ysern as tournament director for this year’s event.

“When you get older you start to feel little injuries and with the way the game has changed in the last ten years, getting so much more physical, Roger was clearly aware he couldn’t perform here and would rather walk off than not do his best and go out early.”

However Forget added: “I would think he will be fit for Wimbledon. Roger still plays to win tournaments and in my mind the grass is far kinder to his body because the rallies are much shorter than here on clay.”

Federer’s Swiss Davis Cup team-mate and reigning French Open champion Stan Wawrinka summed up the thoughts in the men’s locker room when he said: “It is sad and bad news for all tennis fans. Injury is the worst thing for a sportsman.”

Content Via Bob Larsons Tennis News Service Copyright

10sBalls Editors Notes: Roger Federer has never ever RET. (Retired during a match) Once The Maestro steps on the court he is there for the “Duration”.

Temperamental backs don’t like the cold or damp weather. It causes them to tighten up more and nerve pain and aching and all the rest.

Roger still looks awesome and played amazing tennis the past few matches. But beating Zverev and without a days rest to recover it was too much to ask of his body by playing a young Dom Theim the next day.

Side Note-Funny those two are in the finals against each other in NICE.

Roger we hope the rest helps. See you at Wimbledon!

Roger Federer statement: “I regret to announce that I have made the decision not to play in this year’s French Open. I have been making steady progress with my overall fitness, but I am still not 100% and feel I might be taking an unnecessary risk by playing in this event before I am really ready. This decision was not easy to make, but I took it to ensure I could play the remainder of the season and help to extend the rest of my career. I remain as motivated and excited as ever and my plan is to achieve the highest level of fitness before returning to the ATP World Tour for the upcoming grass court season. I am sorry for my fans in Paris but I very much look forward to returning to Roland Garros in 2017.”

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Marcel Granollers of Spain during their second round match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 27 May 2015. EPA/ROBERT GHEMENT

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Gael Monfils of France during their fourth round match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 01 June 2015. EPA/ROBERT GHEMENT

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Dmitry Tursunov of Russia during their third round match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 30 May 2014. EPA/ETIENNE LAURENT

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia-Herzegovina during their third round match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 29 May 2015. EPA/YOAN VALAT

Topics: 10sballs.com, French Open, Roger Federer, Roland Garros 2016, Tennis News

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elitehockey101 says:

May 20, 2016 at 2:06 pm

RT @TennisNewsOne: ROGER FEDERER HAS TO PULL OUT OF THE 2016 FRENCH OPEN TENNIS ENDING HIS STREAK OF 65 SLAMS IN A ROW https://t.co/LhOdIAC…