Roger Federer Will Play only One Tournament Before French Open

Roger Federer is set to return to the French Open this year, after choosing to skip the Grand Slam in 2017 and 2018.

The 37-year-old has won the competition just once throughout his career, back in 2009 where he cruised past Robin Soderling in the final.

Federer will be aiming to fare better at the French Open than he did at the Australian Open this month.

The Swiss maestro saw his hopes of triumphing Down Under ended by Stefanos Tsitsipas in the round of 16.

And Luthi, who has been Federer’s main coach since 2008, has now revealed his French Open preparation plans.

“There is too much speculation around him,” he said.

“He always chose not to pay too much attention about it, not even answering all these rumours.

“He doesn’t think about it daily and I do not think he decided something now so far.

“There are only some truths for now: the desire to play on clay; the certainty that he did not want to take a break between the hard and grass-court season; even if everything is different on clay, it can help for the future.

“He will play one clay-court tournament on clay before the French Open.”

Luthi also insisted Federer has no plans to retire yet.

Novak Djokovic is back to his blockbuster best, winning the last three Grand Slam competitions.

And Rafael Nadal, too, has looked formidable.

But Luthi insists Federer still has the stomach for the fight.

“He is 37 years old, it’s normal that he does not give guarantees for three or five years,” he said.

“What I can say is that if he decided to stop at the end of the year, he would have done a different fitness preparation with Pierre Paganini, because he did not need to focus on the future.

“But it did not change anything on the usual schedule.

“It does not mean that he will necessarily play in 2020, but this is how it looks now.”

There are chances that the Swiss ace could be leaning either between the Rome Masters and the Madrid Masters.