Federer withdraws from French Open, Tsitsipas breezes through

Former world number one Roger Federer, who is targeting a record 21st Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, withdrew from the French Open on Sunday, a day after winning a tough third-round match, opting to save himself for the grass-court season.

“After discussions with my team, I decided that I should withdraw from the French Open today,” Federer said in a statement released by the French Tennis Federation.

“After two knee operations and more than a year of rehabilitation, it’s important that I listen to my body and not rush back into competition,” the 39-year-old Swiss added.

Federer, who has hardly played in the last 17 months because of a knee injury, suffered physically in his four-set, late-night victory over German Dominik Koepfer on Saturday and decided to end his Roland Garros campaign ahead of what would have been a punishing fourth-round match against Italian Matteo Berrettini.

He had said after Saturday’s match that he was pondering whether to participate in the second week of the claycourt Grand Slam as his season goal was Wimbledon, the grass-court major starting on June 28.

“We go through these matches… we analyse them highly and look on what’s next and we’ll do the same tonight and tomorrow,” he said.

“Because I need to decide if I keep on playing or not, or is it not too much risk at this moment to keep pushing or is this just a perfect way to just take a rest.”

Elsewhere on Sunday, Stefanos Tsitsipas held off a late challenge from Spanish 12th seed Pablo Carreno Busta to advance into the quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-2 7-5 victory.

The Greek, who won two titles on clay in the lead-up to Roland Garros, was barely troubled in the first two sets, often charging to the net and easily reading his opponent’s serve.

But a lack of precision in key moments allowed Carreno Busta to threaten a comeback in the third, only for the fifth seed to tighten his grip again and make sure he wasted little time on court Philippe Chatrier.

Tsitsipas, a semi-finalist here last year, will face world number two Daniil Medvedev of Russia next.

“The fans love it, I love it, I love playing with people, I love attention,” Tsitsipas, who played his previous match in an empty stadium because of the local nine p.m. COVID-induced curfew, said in a courtside interview.

“It’s a privilege and a great sensation for me. Today it was working good for me, I felt like my tactics were working even if I missed some of my drop shots.”

Tsitsipas moved 4-0 ahead in a near-perfect start with Carreno Busta looking unable to find his range.

The second set went through in the blink of an eye but Carreno Busta, who reached the last eight at Roland Garros last year, mixed up his game to move 4-1 up in the third as Tsitsipas failed to convert his breaking opportunities.

The Greek, however, just had to move up a gear to turn it around, and he wrapped up the win with a crosscourt forehand winner.