Fed pulled out; http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7017665.stm

And why should he play, if the opposition isn't playing..

I do hope this means he'll finally play Paris MC for a change

Well done FED :bow:

Preserve as many energy as you can for the end of the season: This long trip to japan to play a single event and then move back to play Madrid..well it was already beyond me last year..But he did with success..Anyway..

Hi greasepipe, it could be that Paris will become possible..But I doubt..The man is preserving his energy for Madrid -Basel-YEC and then the Sampras Matches..He do not want to arrive at the end of the season and face Pete in a bad shape: For sure IMO.. :D :D

Hi TV, Federer in a bad shape facing Sampras is about the only scenario i can think of things won't turn out to be a bit embarrassing. :lmaao:

To be honest; i wouldn't put too much weight in the Sampras meeting.
Just like the battle of the surfaces match it's just an exhibition. For Federer probably less demanding than a standard practice session. Although i'm sure they'll somehow fix some "close" sets. ;)

aren't they having a "re-match" in New York next March or something?

I'm assuming Federer will win one and Sampras will win the other :shrug:

Yes - I can see very close matches between Sampras and Fed. I predict 17/15 in the 3rd set tie-break for whoever won the toss of the coin.


More seriously, I am 100% sure Federer will play Paris. he gave his words to the organisers last year. I am much less confident of his defending Basle though.

Come on man I have the tickets for Basel and I want to see my Fav player out there:

I will vote for Madrid + Basel and then YEC..No way he will go to Paris, IMO.

But might be you are right and I will go to Basel and he will not be there :doh: :cry: :cry:

BTW: I was joking about the meeting with Pete..still I really believe both of them (and in particular Pete IMO) want to arrive fit and ready :rolleyes:

I would have thought that your man has one word! He said he'll play Paris and I am quite convinced he will. He might get out early but that I doubt. Basel was high on his list because he had never won it and that's the place he is from if I remember. Now that he has, He might not see it as essential, plus it is just straight after Madrid so, in my view Basel will go.

Madrid, a week rest, then Paris seems perfectly reasonable schedule.

We will see. :shrug:

Yes Tenez we will see what our man will do (Come on !! You are a fan of FED right)... ;) :D ..Anyway, as we said already some time ago Basel is very special for him it is like Barcelona for Rafa..I doubt he will skip that one..And might be he can definitely take all the three..Why not..It will depends as well about the fights he would face in Madrid and then in Basel ( I maen we are far from a situation in which FED is sure to win all these events for sure IMO).. :rolleyes:

From Federer's official website:

I imagine Federer will really want to try and play Paris this year. He is a man of his word, and also it's a title which he has never won yet, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind collecting this one.

That being said, I do not know whether he would be willing to sacrifice Basel for it. It is clearly a tournament that is close to his heart. I think a lot will depend on how Madrid goes. If, coming out of Madrid, he is still in a comfortable position in the race, I suspect he will give Basel a go and try to be fit enough for Paris. (He's played three weeks in a row before, although he has avoided it this year. Presumably having first-round byes and no five-set finals in the Masters Series should make it easier as well.)

If he feels he needs the points from Paris, and is worried that he might not be fit if he plays Basel, then things may well change. Although, realistically speaking I don't see him needing the race points unless he has a shock early loss in Madrid, which in turn should leave him well-rested for Basel and Paris anyway. :D

In any case, it's been too long since we've been able to see him play, so bring on Madrid already! :clap: