Fresh from Miami win, Federer decides to skip clay season ahead of French Open

Johannesburg [South Africa], April. 3 (ANI): 18-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will be taking a nearly two-month break from the sport before returning for the French Open in late May. Federer continued his dominance over of Rafael Nadal by crushing the Spaniard 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the Miami Open held yesterday. After coming from a six-month injury lay-off, Federer has won the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Miami and said that he would skip some clay court tournaments, including Masters series events in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome. "I'm not 24 anymore so things have changed in a big way and I probably won't play any clay court event except the French. That is what it is going to look like, I need rest, my body needs healing, I need time as well to prepare, you will probably see me at the French again," Sport24 quoted Federer as saying. The Swiss legend insisted that he wants stay healthy and enjoy. "Because when I am healthy and feeling good, I can produce tennis like this, when I am not feeling this good there is no chance I will be in the finals competing with Rafa," he said. "That is why this break coming now in the clay court season and focusing everything now on the French, the grass and then the hard courts after that is going to be the key for me," he added. The 35-year-old is now looking to focus on the grass season. "I will probably stay on hard courts ... and get on the clay two weeks before the French, that's the plan for now and hopefully I will play the French and we will see how the build-up is going to go and for me that's essentially when the season really starts," he said. He also maintained that his biggest goal for now is to win the Wimbledon, adding that in the near future, the American hard courts. "For me basically the second half of the season is the big priority which is why I am taking this break now," he said. (ANI)