• Roger Federer

Roger Federer (Photo : Getty Images)

Roger Federer has set his sights on the Internazionali BNL d'Italia next week after pulling out of the Madrid Open due to a minor back injury.

For the second time this seasons, Federer suffered a minor setback that forced him to withdraw from an ATP 1000 Masters event. The Swiss Maestro, who was supposed to bid for a fourth Madrid Open title and his first trophy this season, ruled himself out of the tournament after hurting his back during a practice session.

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The unfortunate event puts Federer in place for an appearance in another ATP 1000 Masters tournament in Rome, where the 34-year-old could restart his quest back to winning ways leading up to the French Open later this month.

 "It's been a tough year, so I hope it gets better from here," Federer said as he hopes to be ready for the Rome Masters.


Federer's sudden absence in Madrid raises concern whether the 17-time Grand Slam winner could still keep up with the competition, especially at Grand Slam events. Charlie Eccleshare of The Telegraph believes Federer may end up retiring without adding another Grand Slam win to his all-time record, considering factors that include Novak Djokovic's rise, Rafael Nadal's unexpected resurgence, and the Swiss' aging body.

"With the French Open this year almost certainly an unrealistic target, Federer will be targeting Wimbledon and the US Open this year, but the reality is that the exertion of winning 21 sets against the immense physical specimens that populate the ATP Tour will likely prove beyond even this most durable of 34-year-olds," Eccleshare wrote.

The strong case of the point that Federer is no longer capable of winning major tournaments was probably most evident this season, where the world No. 3 has yet to dominate a competition due to minor setbacks and a knee surgery that forced him to miss more than two months of action.

Federer had a chance to win the Brisbane International earlier this year, but a flu-like virus contributed to his loss in the final round. In Miami, Federer was stopped by a stomach virus to have his post-knee surgery debut, forcing him to delay his return at the Monte Carlo Masters, where he was lost against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals.

It is expected that Rome will be another testing ground for Federer before heading into Roland Garros to attempt an 18th French Open title. But unless Federer finds any success in other tournaments like the Rome Masters, there is a slim chance of him winning another Grand Slam.