Rolex Paris Masters tournament director Guy Forget said he’s sad and “very disappointed” by Roger Federer’s withdrawl from this week’s Masters 1000 event.
Federer, who fought off Juan Martin del Potro in three sets to capture his eighth Basel title on Sunday, pulled out of Paris in order to be at full strength for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London later this month.
More: Federer Skips Paris Masters
It’s the second straight year the 36-year-old Swiss will miss the Paris indoors. Federer, who was forced out last year recovering from a knee injury, also withdrew from Roland Garros earlier this year. Forget is Roland Garros tournament director.
In an interview with French publication L’Equipe, Forget expressed disappointment with Federer’s dcison.
"At the end of his match against Juan Martin Del Potro, apparently he was really touched physically. He has back pain, he has pain everywhere,” Forget told L’Equipe. You imagine my disappointment, my frustration. I had his agent (Tony Godsick) on the phone who told me of his wish to recover because he is at the end of the roll. We take note of it. We have no other recourse against that. We are sad about all the efforts that have been made for many weeks and many months to welcome Roger and Rafa into this room.
"Unfortunately, Rafa will be alone. There are other great champions, but I am convinced that Roger's Parisian fans will be very disappointed. The tennis player, by definition, looks at his own interest, what interests him, what interests him less and has to make choices."
Forget, the 1991 Paris Masters champion, suggested Federer’s decision to skip a Masters 1000 level tournament after playing a 500 series event in his hometown of Basel could “weaken the credibility of the circuit.”
"At 36, we pay more attention than when we have 25. Nevertheless, I still think that the Masters 1000 are the nine biggest tournaments of the calendar,” Forget said. "When a player, whoever he is, misses this appointment, it weakens the credibility of the circuit. I greet all those who make the effort. So some are a little diminished.”
Forget praised Nadal, who pulled out of Basel in order to be fit for Paris, while taking a subtle dig at Federer.
"Rafael Nadal is here. Others made the effort,” Forget said. “Some have had surgery, you can not get them out of their hospital bed. When a player wins a tournament 500 kilometers away and is not there the next week, we are bound to be sad.
"I am very disappointed (over Federer’s absence) though I think Nadal will sketch a small smile."
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