Roger Federer revealed he is recovering well from the back injury that forced him to skip the French Open, insisting that the setback is getting better than expected.
Federer is now back in Switzerland after withdrawing from Roland Garros, the first time he skipped a Grand Slam event since 1998. The 17-time Grand Slam winner, after celebrating FC Basel's triumph in the Swiss league, confessed his back injury is getting "better than expected" and asserted his progressing well towards recovery.
"Back is better than expected. I keep progressing," Federer told SRF TV as reported by Tennis World USA.
Federer started to feel back problems before officially announcing he would skip the Madrid Open. He came back to the tennis scene in Rome, but was far from full fitness, which may have contributed to an early exit at the tournament.
Stan Wawrinka, the French Open defending champion and fellow Swiss, revealed he talked to Federer following the latter's withdrawal from the second Grand Slam event of the year. Wawrinka said it "feels strange" not having Federer at the French Open, but the world No. 4 is hopeful his compatriot would be ready for the grass court-season, which starts at the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, Germany next month.
"For sure it feels strange for every player here and every fan of tennis for Roger to pull out before the tournament," Wawrinka said.
"I had a little bit of talk with him. He was happy after my first match. He saw the end, apparently. Hopefully he's gonna be fit and ready for the grass court and maybe do something big there."
With Federer out of the French Open, Wawrinka will have slightly better chances to defend his title and earn a third Grand Slam win in Paris, although that depends if the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray had a sudden dip in form in the clay-season finale.
Federer will still have Wimbeldon as a ground to hoist an 18th Grand Slam title, but that also remains an uncertainty if the 34-year-old Swiss could keep himself healthy before competing in Church Road.