The table of the Masters 1000 in Paris was incomplete with the loss, before his entry into the fray, of the Swiss star Roger Federer.
The Helvetian, number 3 in the world ranking at 38 years old, who won on Sunday for the tenth time at his ‘home’, in Basel, decided to rest ahead of the London Masters and with his sights set on the remainder of his career.
“I am very disappointed to have to withdraw from the Rolex Paris Masters. I have to dose myself because I want to play as long as possible on the ATP circuit. I feel sorry for my French fans, whom I will see next year at Roland Garros, “said Federer, a semi-finalist last year and champion in 2011, but not a regular at the Parisian indoor tournament.
Federer has four titles this season, the same as Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
At the moment, only Dominic Thiem has collected more trophies in 2019 (5).
“Obviously I am disappointed by this absence and especially by the public”, commented the director of the tournament, Guy Forget. “Despite everything, this 2019 edition looks exciting, with many things at stake, especially the last places for (the Masters at the end of the season in) London and the number 1 in the world at the end of the year.”
– Clearer path for Nadal –
Indeed, the Serbian Novak Djokovic sees how the Spanish Rafael Nadal threatens his world throne in this final of 2019. The Balearic could have collided with Federer in the semifinals of Paris.
The loss of Federer thus clears the way for Nadal towards the final, since the two were in the same part of the table.
Federer will be replaced by a ‘lucky loser’, the Italian Andreas Seppi (74th), in the main draw of the last Masters 1000 of the year, specified the organization. His rival in the second round will be Moldovan Radu Albot (50th).
The Helvetian’s participation in the Parisian tournament was in the air at the end of the Basel event.
“I have a meeting scheduled with my team on Monday to talk not only about Paris, but about next season. I imagine that by tomorrow (Monday) I will know if I am going to Paris or not, “he declared at a press conference on Sunday after the final, explaining that he” did not know “if playing this week was a good idea considering his physical condition. .
And hours after the announcement of Federer’s dismissal, another tennis player resigned from participating in the tournament, Frenchman Richard Gasquet, in his case due to a left knee injury.
Gasquet has won fifteen titles in his ATP career, though none this year. His last trophy dates back to 2018, when he won on the grass of s’Hertogenbosch.
In the first round in Paris he had to face Dusan Lajovic (34th). It will be his French compatriot Corentin Moutet, 97th, who will face the Serbian as a ‘lucky loser’. AFP