It's been a while since Roger Federer took onto the tennis court to play an official ATP event. Since Miami Masters final, the Swiss tennis star made no appearance on the ATP professional tour. The clay court swing on European soil presented a zero interest level for Federer who made a definitory decision in skipping the entire chunk on clay.
That gave him an extended break, a choice with a lot of pros and cons. Choosing the safer road, Federer could end losing some inner fire, the winning feeling, or the fact of simply competing on a weekly basis.
Back in January, he stunned the world with his glorious comeback and he might be forced to do it again soon.
The grass season has Federer competing at three venues
The next big target for Federer and perhaps the most important of the season is the all mighty Wimbledon, a place where he has 7 titles being on the same floor with Pete Sampras who used to be a role model for the Swiss player. Winning Australian Open back in January was a surreal achievement, but historically a triumph at Wimbledon weights even more.
To set things in motion, Roger Federer will have two warm-up events before traveling to London. The first stop on the Grass Court will find the Swiss in Stuttgart, Germany at Mercedes Cup.
An ATP 250 event, this tournament shifted from clay to grass last season. The change sprang out from the necessity of another grass court event. From this year, the ATP calendar will introduce one more of this kind in Antalya, Turkey.
Mercedes Cup will be held between June 12 and June 18 having Federer as its main star. Last year, Federer had a decent run reaching the semis where he lost in three tight sets to Dominic Thiem.
After Stuttgart, Federer is set to compete at Gerry Weber Open in Halle, an ATP 500 event. At this event, Federer's record consists of 8 titles throughout his career with the last one dating from 2015. Last year, he reached the semis before being defeated by Alexander Zverev.
Wimbledon Championships and the chance for another Grand Slam
Having 18 Grand Slam titles under his belt, Roger Federer has a four-clicks leverage over Nadal. The Spaniard could reduce the deficit if he wins at the French Open. Given his current shape on clay, the odds put Nadal as the main favorite in Paris. Shall he win Roland Garros, the race between Federer and Nadal will be reignited? So, Wimbledon could end up being the place where Federer might regain control over the situation. Moreover, the Swiss star will have the chance to get past Pete Sampras in Wimbledon's history books.
