Federer opting out of Miami and Basel in 2013

Just came across this.

http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2012-11-17/11032.php

Apparently not playing in Miami or Basel next year. Skipping MC once again.

Just 14 scheduled tournaments.

What do you make of this? Is it wise scheduling? Or is it too truncated a schedule? Are there any replacements that he could add?



emancipator

This shows he don't care about rankings anymore and priorities himself for some big tournaments 1 more year. Emanci, Fed understands his body cannot take that many tournaments for a given year anymore, I guess he will cut more tournaments out of his actual schedule and just focus on big 4 slams.

I'd say it was sensible scheduling on his behalf. Obviously, he has to prioritise and the fewer tournaments he plays in then the fresher he stays and the greater his chance of prolonging his career by another two or three years remaining in contention for slam wins.

Do you think he's going for a Williams-esque schedule in only playing the events he really need/wants to? No disrespect to the GOAT, but he's not Serena Williams in that he turns up at maybe 70% and flattens everyone in sight.

The Special Juan wrote:Do you think he's going for a Williams-esque schedule in only playing the events he really need/wants to? No disrespect to the GOAT, but he's not Serena Williams in that he turns up at maybe 70% and flattens everyone in sight.

He is way better than Serena Williams but the problem is ATP is no WTA, I cannot see one player in WTA of Del Po caliber let alone Ferrer, Murray, Djoko and Rafa.

Him not playing in Miami and Basel are not going to blunt him in anyway as a player. Hell Basel isn't even a Masters tournament anyway.

CaledonianCraig wrote:Him not playing in Miami and Basel are not going to blunt him in anyway as a player. Hell Basel isn't even a Masters tournament anyway.

I guess he will play Basel, he just haven't committed next year for it, but he will add himself to it last minute .

invisiblecoolers wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:Him not playing in Miami and Basel are not going to blunt him in anyway as a player. Hell Basel isn't even a Masters tournament anyway.

I guess he will play Basel, he just haven't committed next year for it, but he will add himself to it last minute .

Okay I know it is his home tournament but apart from that - why bother? It is an ATP500 tournament at the end of a long gruelling season. If anything he should play Miami and look to miss another ATP500 tournament somewhere.

Miami is a surprising omission.

I think the tour scheduling at the end of the year with Basel, Paris and WTF in consecutive weeks leaves him with no choice but to drop one. Basel should be the obvious choice.

The judicious scheduling means that he will definitely no longer try for the top ranking but I wonder if it also means sacrificing the number two ranking. That of course would have more serious implications for the draw.

Fed has mentioned possibly missing Miami just about any time he was asked about the schedule in a presser.. My guess is the slow surface just frustrates him and he dosn't see any advantage to hauling his family across country for it. After the WTF last week, he said he met with director of Basel and they would work something out soon-- my guess is they released the schedule now without the Basel contract in place, but he will add it at some point.

By the looks of it, he's not looking to regain #1 anymore. Lets face it-- other than year end #1, theres nothing to be gained to reaching #1 midseason at this point now that he has the record by a wide margin. It's a smart schedule to keep him peaked and rested for his big events..

Yes I agree with those sentiments.

I'm quite happy for him to skip Miami.

He stated recently that he hadn't had much opportunity to practice this year and this is something he hopes to rectify next year.

Federer would rather win another slam than become #1 again. I hope he wins the french

TopoftheChops wrote:Federer would rather win another slam than become #1 again. I hope he wins the french

I have a feeling that there are one or two others that might have other ideas on that score. He had a hard enough job winning that one when he was at his peak he has little or no chance ... stick to Wimbledon is my advice.

Great news, it means he's achieved what he wanted in the #1 position and now prioritises his long term health.

In ny case, serves Miami right for being so ludicrously slow. Let others run themselves silly there, he gets no reward for trying to hit winners there.

Best chance for more Slams now. And I think a French is perfectly possible; who knows what state Nadal will be in, and what ranking by the either? There could be a Djokovic/Nadal quarter by then.

This is a blow to Miami. It no longer stands out amongst the masters. Somehow it's lost that in the last few years or more. I wonder why Federer prefers Indian Wells. Or maybe just likes the idea of a long break.

At this stage of his career missing a few tournaments seems sensible although I do wonder about Basle, the home town tournament, where he is apparently wanting more money. Might not be the smartest one to alienate home town support while player similar and even lesser tournaments in the schedule. I would have thought he might prefer to skip Paris and have a rest before the world tour finals rather than back to back tournaments.

The other thing is that I don't agree with players saying YES or NO in the schedule. The schedule would be clearer if some MAYBEs were added. If Federer loses in R3 in Indian Wells, he might play Miami? If he gets to the FO final he might skip Halle?

Realistically every top player's schedule has a few events that are maybes that they will skip if they are tired out at that time. They have to put them as a yes but everyone knows that it really means "yes, unless I get a very slight injury of tiredness build up or reach the final of the tournament the previous week". It would be more honest and better for the fans if they just put them down as maybes.

I suspect he doesn't like it because its slow, he has no points to defend like he does at Indian wells and by skipping MC as well he has a long break before the clay court and wimbledon stretch which he probably considers the toughest part of the year

For the first time for ages, Roger's website merely lists a HOPE that he will play at the WTF. Reckon even at 32 years old it would be a surprise if he was not in the top eight come London 2013.
Spose some thought he would reduce slightly his schedule in 2013 and may be he is already thinking about how much he wants to play in 2014 (let's hope so).
As far as IW/Miami is concerned, Fed said earlier this year how he'd grown to like the small town/quieter desert atmosphere of IW while earlier in his career he'd found it a bit uncool after the sassiness of New York.
Scheduling could have something to do with the points to defend at IW/Miami from 2012, though, couldn't it ?
Don't think he's short changing anyone with this schedule. Let's face it, after 2011 there were some forecasting that 2012 might be his last year. Don't think he's really considering any particular ending at this stage, but trying to enjoy it and see how it goes.
One thing might emerge from this next year. It could be - regardless of on-court success - one of his most happiest playing years. He's got another Slam, he's got the number one record and can just play for the hell of it, with his twins just about old enough to grasp what's going on.

Excellent schedule from a man who obviously wants to give 2013 a real go and at the same time look after himself.

Basel had to go, that was obvious, and he's supported it extremely well for many years but there's no reason for him to continue supporting it when it is so obviously detrimental to his WTF ambitions and his ability to schedule his TMS 1,000 tournaments properly.

Of the TMS tournaments dropping Miami is an excellent call. It's the tournament too far in the odd HC mini-series at the beginning of the year which does not lead to any slam, and he's already scheduled to play x3 in the US anyway. He can now have a proper break for the transition between hard and clay.

Don't see why it is obvious that Basle has to go. Why not play Shanghai, take a week or three rest or whatever it is, then play Basle, then a week's rest, then WTF. With Paris, you have to choose between tanking and tiring yourself out for the WTF, at Basel you just have to go to the win.

What does he need at Paris so much? I'd rather satisfy my home fans than just go after a few more ranking points?

Miami used to be the #1 Masters event but Indian Wells has now replaced it - with higher TV ratings, bigger gates and higher attendances.