Roger Federer sees no reason this year to skip Roland Garros. The twenty-time Grand Slam winner, after losing in the eighth finals of the Australian Open of Stéfanos Tsitsipás: 6-7 (11), 7-6 (3), 7-5 and 7-6 (5).
Federer last played at Roland Garros in 2015. For the past two years, the 37-year-old veteran hit the entire gravel season in the run-up to Wimbledon and in 2016 he was missing physical discomfort in Paris.
"I am in a phase of my career in which I want to enjoy a lot, I do not feel like I need a long break this year, because I feel very good and excited", said Federer at the press conference after the match in the Rod Laver Arena.
"I have missed Roland Garros in recent years", the Swiss, who won the clay tournament only once, confessed in 2009.
His unexpected loss against twenty-year-old Tsitsipás played no role in his decision to play Roland Garros this year. "I had already made this decision before this game," said the veteran who won the last two editions of the Melbourne tournament.
Roland Garros starts this year on 26 May and the final is on 9 June. Federer said he would like to play Wimbledon this year anyway. He did not want to say anything about his further seasonal planning this time.
FEDERER IS DISAPPOINTED BY UNUSED BREAK POINTS
The six-time winner of the Australian Open was defeated in Melbourne unnecessary. "I am very disappointed with this game, because I had to win the second set, I do not care how, but I should have won, which cost me the game."
Federer got eight breakpoints in that second set, but Tsitsipás worked it all away. In the entire race, the Swiss even missed twelve break chances, while his opponent struck once on the three breakpoints he got.
"There are always several factors that play a role, but the breakpoints just did not go the way I wanted", Federer looked back. "At the Hopman Cup I did not know how to break it, so there is something wrong with the way I return against him."
Earlier this year, Ferderer won at the Hopman Cup from Tsitsipás. The number three in the world won both sets in the tiebreak.
"He has just done a great job today, he has been playing well for six months now, including Novak Djokovic, Kevin Anderson and Alexander Zverev."
Federer has a lot of appreciation for the seventeen year old younger Greek, who has some style from the Swiss way. "He also has a single-handed backhand, and I used to have long hair," Federer said with a laugh.
"You need that to be able to take the last step to the top, and I think he can stay at the top for a long time."
In the quarter-finals Tsitsipás faces the Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, who was too strong for Marin Cilic in five sets.
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