After winning the Miami Masters, usually players embark upon the clay season high in confidence. However, Roger Federer finds himself in a completely different scenario.
Later this year the 20-time grand slam champion is set to play his first competitive match on the surface after almost three years. Missing recent tournaments on the clay due to either injury or deciding to rest his body. The venue of his return will be the Caja Magica, which is where the Madrid Masters take place in May. At the age of 37, Federer does have an advantage with his experience. Although you can’t put a price on playing matches.
“I’m not very confident going into this clay court season, I can tell you that, because I don’t even remember how to slide anymore. I’m taking baby steps at this point.” Federer explained on Sunday.
“To be honest, I didn’t play one point — not one shot on clay, I don’t believe, last year. Two years ago I played two days. Three years ago I played not feeling great in Monaco and Rome and all that. So it’s been so little that I really don’t know what to expect.”
A former French Open champion back in 2009, Federer has accumulated a total of 11 titles on the clay so far in his career. The most recent of those occurring at the 2015 Istanbul Open in Turkey. Whilst regarded as one of the best players in history, his achievements on the European dirt has been overshadowed by ‘king of clay’ Rafael Nadal. An 11-time French Open champion.
Ironically, Federer’s highly anticipated return to the surface is just part of his master plan for his beloved grass-court season. The world No.4 is hoping that it will set him up well for a shot of claiming another Wimbledon trophy. As for Roland Garros, the priority is more about enjoyment than anything else.
“I think what this win (in Miami) does for me, it just takes even more pressure off from the clay court season.” He explained. “I wanted to play the clay in not a relaxed fashion, but let’s just go and do it and prepare well. That’s what I’m looking at now the next four or five weeks with my fitness coach and coaches Ivan and Severin and Pierre, figuring out how we are going to go about it.”
Weighing in on Federer’s return, former player Greg Rusedski downplayed his chances of success prior to the grass-court swing. The ex world No.4 once played Federer on the clay back in 2005 at the Monte Carlo Masters, losing 6-3, 6-1.
“He’s looking for matches before Wimbledon. He doesn’t really think he’s going to win the French Open, let’s be honest.” Rusedski told Amazon Prime. “He thinks that’s either Rafa or Novak or the other guys who are going to win Paris.”
Federer’s comeback at the Madrid Open will take place during the second week of May.
