Gerry Weber Open 2011: Roger Federer officially pulls out of Halle event

Citing the need to rest his body ahead of the Wimbledon 2011 tournament, Swiss tennis star Roger Federer has formally announced his withdrawal from the Gerry Weber Open, an annual grasscourt event held in Halle, Germany. Federer, who would have been the tournament’s top seed, said via his website that it is “too risky to take a chance on aggravating it [groin] even more before Wimbledon.”

The world number three lost in the final of the Roland Garros 2011 tournament to long-time rival Rafael Nadal.

It remains unclear whether the Gerry Weber Open organizers will take this news lightly as it was reported last year that Federer has signed an agreement to participate at the Halle tournament for the rest of his playing career. Read related story.