Federer has been a notable absentee from the entire clay-court season - admitting that his focus was on the grass-court campaign after his 2016 was wrecked by knee and back injuries. In a statement on his official website, he said: "Regrettably, I've decided not to participate in the French Open.

"I've been working really hard, both on and off the court, during the last month but in order to try and play on the ATP World Tour for many years to come, I feel it's best to skip the clay-court season this year and prepare for the grass and hard court seasons. "The start to the year has been magical for me but I need to recognise that scheduling will be the key to my longevity moving forward. "Thus, my team and I concluded today that playing just one event on clay was not in the best interest of my tennis and physical preparation for the remainder of the season. "I will miss the French fans, who have always been so supportive and I look forward to seeing them at Roland Garros next year."