dsvloper88
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He could if he decided to play again and both Nadal and Djokovic injure themselves and miss the French Open. Of course, that is unlikely.
That being said, I do not think he is going to play the French Open again. I think he is content to use much of the clay court season to rest, train, and manage his game in preparation for the grass and hard court seasons.
Square Pegs and Round Holes…
Clay courts do not suit the style of play he prefers these days — taking the ball early, controlling points from the onset, and using his serve to set up quick strikes.
The Roger Kryptonite
For example, if he were to attempt that strategy against Nadal on clay, Nadal would still have enough time and space to use that heavy forehand into his backhand. Once the point got into that exchange, Nadal would then be able to move Federer into the forehand corner and extract either errors or short balls.
These are patterns and trends in matches that probably cause Federer some serious night terrors, and while taking the ball early before it gets up on him is an antidote on faster surfaces, it would not be as effective on a slow surface like clay.
The loss of effectiveness of taking time away paired with the loss of free points off of his serve equates to non-optimal results for Roger. I think he knows this and so chooses instead to focus on the following majors. Best to opt out of such unnecessary suffering.
Against Djokovic, I suspect he would have a better chance, but after watching the Australian Open final, I may need to reconsider. The matchup on paper gives Federer a chance, but if Novak is on point he would still really test Roger’s movement on the wings, which is much improved the past couple of seasons but still not as good as Novak’s.
In Conclusion
He is certainly good enough to win another French Open if he were to play and there were a few key injuries. But I do not think he will play that tournament again. His one title probably remains quite satisfactory for him.
That being said, I do not think he is going to play the French Open again. I think he is content to use much of the clay court season to rest, train, and manage his game in preparation for the grass and hard court seasons.
Square Pegs and Round Holes…
Clay courts do not suit the style of play he prefers these days — taking the ball early, controlling points from the onset, and using his serve to set up quick strikes.
The Roger Kryptonite
For example, if he were to attempt that strategy against Nadal on clay, Nadal would still have enough time and space to use that heavy forehand into his backhand. Once the point got into that exchange, Nadal would then be able to move Federer into the forehand corner and extract either errors or short balls.
Not to mention Federer wouldn’t get nearly as much from his serve, as Rafa would just move back and return those heavy balls into Federer’s backhand.These are patterns and trends in matches that probably cause Federer some serious night terrors, and while taking the ball early before it gets up on him is an antidote on faster surfaces, it would not be as effective on a slow surface like clay.
The loss of effectiveness of taking time away paired with the loss of free points off of his serve equates to non-optimal results for Roger. I think he knows this and so chooses instead to focus on the following majors. Best to opt out of such unnecessary suffering.
Against Djokovic, I suspect he would have a better chance, but after watching the Australian Open final, I may need to reconsider. The matchup on paper gives Federer a chance, but if Novak is on point he would still really test Roger’s movement on the wings, which is much improved the past couple of seasons but still not as good as Novak’s.
In Conclusion
He is certainly good enough to win another French Open if he were to play and there were a few key injuries. But I do not think he will play that tournament again. His one title probably remains quite satisfactory for him.
