Even with the birth of his second set of twins on Tuesday, Roger Federer expects to play the 2014 French Open later this month. His agent Tony Godsick told Christopher Clarey of The New York Times:
“Assuming that everything goes well and the kids are healthy and Mirka is doing well, he has every intention of playing Roland Garros. The question is what he plays before that, if anything. Time will tell. He is training and hasn’t missed a beat in training.”
Federer has played in every Grand Slam since the turn of the century. An appearance at the French Open would be his 58th in a row, extending his all-time record.
Mirka Federer gave birth to twin boys on Tuesday evening. Her husband withdrew from this week’s tournament in Madrid earlier in the day. Last month, he said he’d miss the French Open to be with his family.
Given the timing, it appears that won’t be necessary. The year’s second Grand Slam begins May 25 in Paris, 19 days after the birth of Leo and Lenny.
Godsick didn’t say whether Federer would play in next week’s Rome Open, which is the final major French Open tune-up. Federer’s first match wouldn’t be until Tuesday or Wednesday.
If he doesn’t play Rome, there are two tiny events the week before the French Open in Dusseldorf and Nice. Federer would have to weigh the need for another clay-court tuneup (he’s only played one such event this year) against competing in a tournament the week before a major.
When Mirka had the couple’s first set of twins in 2009, Roger returned to the court two weeks later in Montreal. He lost in the quarterfinals of that event before rolling to a victory in Cincinnati. Six weeks after the birth of the twin girls, Federer was in control of the 2009 U.S. Open final against Juan Martin Del Potro, but would go on to lose the match.
usatoday.com
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