Having recently discovered the excellent Tennismash earlier today I stumbled across a debate therein on Federer’s decision to skip the clay season once again.
It brings up alot of excellent points which I hadn’t considered before and is well worth a read.
What should the Swiss prioritise? Is a ninth Wimbledon crown so much more attainable than a second Roland Garros victory? On the surface the answer is obviously no: Federer’s glittering trophy haul is complete (gold medals don’t count sorry) but a little lacking for the French.
Surely the risk of injury is worth it with such a depleted field right now?
The truth will play out in the next couple of months; if Nadal, Djokovic, DelPo, Thiem or even – somehow – Wawrinka find their best form then Roger’s decision to steer well clear would be justified. If playing well, all are too powerful now for the 36 year old to live with.
While we’re on the subject, I hadn’t realised just how much of Wawrinka’s ranking points are down to his 2017 clay form, expect a rankings plummet soon.
But, if the French produces more shock names in its latter stages then perhaps Roger will curse his cautiousness. It’s by no means a given that the SW19 grass and especially the American hard courts will translate to assured success for him. The sunshine double last month proves that challengers are ready and waiting.
Clay previews to come for both tours.
All Things Tennis 