Third-ranked Roger Federer has officially withdrawn his participation from Roland Garros 2016 tournament. This will be the first time that the Swiss Maestro will be missing from a Grand Slam main draw tournament since 1999.
The 34-year old has been dealing with a number of injuries this year which includes having a knee surgery after the Australian Open that prevented him from participating in a number of high-profile tournaments. He participated in Rome Masters a week ago but lost in the third round.
Federer practiced on Wednesday at the Philippe-Chatrier Court and was assessing whether he will be fit enough to compete in Paris.
“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.” – Federer wrote on his official Facebook page.
The withdrawal means that nine-time champion Rafael Nadal will see his seeding rise from number five to number four.
