Roger Federer has hinted he could miss the French Open next month to be with his wife Mirka Vavrinec, who is pregnant with the couple's third child and could give birth around that time.
The actual due date is not yet known, and if the former world no.1 would have to miss the French Open to be with Vavrinec, he is ready to do so.
It was on 24 December that the 32-year-old broke the news that the couple are expecting a third child. The father of four-year-old twins has now stressed he has his priorities straight and would not mind skipping the tournament that is scheduled from 25 May to 8 June.
"It's a priority for me trying to be there, trying to support my wife," the 17-time Grand Slam champion said. "I've played enough tennis matches. Missing a tournament or missing a match wouldn't change anything for me."
Federer has played in every single Grand Slam in the last 14 years - 57 straight Slams, starting from the Australian Open in 2000. The birth of his twin daughters, Myla Rose and Charlene Riva, came in the five-week break after the Wimbledon in 2009 in July.
Though he said it was too early to predict, the option of skipping a major tournament is very much open.
"Let's talk about it when it would happen," Federer added. "At the moment we hope it's not going to be that way. If it is, that's what it is."
In the 2013 French Open, Federer was not in the best of forms as he went down to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals. However, this season, Federer is on a roll, starting from the runner-up finish in Brisbane, losing semifinalist to Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open, a Dubai crown later, runner-up to Novak Djokovic in Indian Wells, and a not so great quarterfinals finish in Miami.
But overall, he has gone on record saying he is back to feeling his best on court, and whether he makes it to the French Open or not, his fans would be hoping that the Swiss master goes on to add a few more titles to his name.
(Ed: VP)
