Roger Federer Withdraws From French Open

Good on you Fed. Thanks for the entertaining tennis, it’s always the best!

June 6th, 2021 at 10:57 am

Same here Skeezer.
It was an amazing tournament for Fed with incredible fight and grit.

His decision make sense as he is still recovering and was struggling physically against Koeper.

Hope to see him in full flight in grass court season now.

Very grateful to still be able to see his beautiful tennis.

June 6th, 2021 at 11:09 am

Tough news. I really was looking forward to the QFs.

June 6th, 2021 at 11:36 am

Jatin, Skeeze, have to say I was disappointed. After watching some gritty, robust play, I was gripped. Of course he has his eye on the grass court, and surely this is the right decision for him. Still proud of the The Fed and that he is mixing things up still. The best of luck for the rest of the season.

Catch you both later.

Take care!

June 6th, 2021 at 1:01 pm

Disappointed…but I completely understand. This and the “Naomi Incident” underlie how in the end, it’s up to the athletes to advocate for their own health as well as the health of their own careers.

I’m looking forward to see Fed on the grass soon with an extra week’s rest & a spring in his step!

June 6th, 2021 at 2:10 pm

Serena is out as well. While the media loves to slather attention on the aging champion unlikely to win again, too much attention on unlikely comebacks detract from the sport, IMO.
Serena loses and the story immediately becomes how The Great Serena was just “warming up” for Wimbledon like Fed.
I didn’t watch it, but some people who have noted how Fed was looking gassed halfway through the 3rd set.
I don’t anticipate much from either at Wimbledon. Maybe both will talk about stepping back from the sport a bit to improve conditioning, be with family, and prepare for 2022’s Wimbledon.

June 6th, 2021 at 2:45 pm

chrisford1 Says:
Serena is out as well. While the media loves to slather attention on the aging champion unlikely to win again, too much attention on unlikely comebacks detract from the sport, IMO.

You wish ChrisFord1. You wish.

Well, we wish Fed the best and as far I am concerned I will look for a 2021 trophy at Wimbledon. Thought. Feeling. Action. Event. If he has the thought he will win. He will win. This will promote a good feeling from within, and the action will be the practice and the practice, in turn, will create the event.

That’s the theory, and why not at this stage? Who cares about the naysayers – it is not a comeback because he never went away! It is not as if he has said, he will retire. Anything but!

He has already said he is taking more care of his body, and his family travel with him, it is not as if he is not spending time with family.

Good luck and all the best to the Fed! Let’s see CF1, let’s see.

June 6th, 2021 at 3:13 pm

Smart move. He has 0 chance at this time of beating Djoko in QF or Nadal’s semis in RG. And he wouldn’t want to face them before grass where he still has a shot. Also he got ehat he wanted, 3 matches, a long one almost 4 hours to test himself. Better play Stutgart, Halle and Wimbledon maybe swan song.

Depending of what happens in RG (nadal not winning, i know… lol) and Tsisi semis Fed could face Nadal in Wimbledon QF.

June 6th, 2021 at 3:42 pm

Incredibly selfish and unsportsmanlike move by Federer. Let’s see who here is gonna claim it’s “classy”?

https://tennisbuzz.net/comment-roger-federer-smart-decision-but-deeply-disrespectful-one/

June 6th, 2021 at 4:30 pm

There’s “THIS and THAT” said about Federer – I watched it all and it was very late here in the UK when it finished – and even later in France. The Fed was utterly exhausted….I’m not surprised he decided to withdraw as announced – I’ll bet he even had trouble walking this morning.

Yes, I think he’ll be more comfortable on Grass and time-wise Wimbledon is just round the corner….and he has expressed interest in the Olympics although the Japanese want it to be cancelled because of rising cases of the new (more dangerous?VIRUS).

June 6th, 2021 at 5:00 pm

JK totally agree.
Fed has an impeccable record of low WD’s compared to the other top players. And his sportsmanship awards are unparalleled. Nothing to complain about here, two recent surgeries and just getting back to play, what do you want? He was gassed and mostly likely would have retired anyways. Ya know, like Djoker used to do.

June 6th, 2021 at 6:30 pm

When did Đoković retire mid-tournament after winning a match?

June 6th, 2021 at 7:28 pm

Didn’t realize your criteria was that specific(after winning a match?). I cannot find one. But most know his history of retiring during matches for various reasons. and withdrawals. Fed has never retired during a match. And he has played over 1500 matches.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/06/sports/tennis/roger-federer-french-open-withdraws.html
Fed clearly laid out his plans to in April:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzagoria/2021/04/18/roger-federer-says-hell-return-at-geneva-then-play-french-open/?sh=193aa69e1c94
If the French officials didn’t want to him to play they should have not let him. They knew his intentions, nothing hidden there. Clearly they wanted him to play. And so did his fans.

June 6th, 2021 at 7:54 pm

But it’s different when you show up for a match and get injured or otherwise unable to continue due to health reasons. Withdrawing in the middle of a Grand Slam without injury or other objective reason is a completely different story. Federer could have continued the tournament but chose not to, and thus put the players in a difficult position. Now his not-to-be opponent from the 4th round will have 3 days rest before his next match, whereas Đoković will have one day.
I don’t understand how you don’t see Federer quitting is unfair to the tournament and to other players. He’s using a Grand Slam as training opportunity, and when he’s had enough he just quits, no matter the havoc his decision wreacks.

June 6th, 2021 at 11:59 pm

Đoković never retired when he could have continued to play but simply didn’t want to. Federer just chose to quit even though he could have continued, because he’s decided he’d had enough.

The circumstances are completely different.

June 7th, 2021 at 12:04 am

@kriket

Quit your whining. You know nothing about Federer or how he feels. That link you shared is the most ridiculous thing ive read in a while – thx for the laugh.

June 7th, 2021 at 3:03 am

Stop it kriket, Nole is the biggest faker out there. AO 09 vs Roddick for example.

June 7th, 2021 at 12:44 pm

Withdrawing one hour prior final in London in order not to be trashed by Nole:

https://youtu.be/Nufj4X5GtTY

Talking about being fake?!

June 8th, 2021 at 5:51 am