Roger Federer is out of the French Open and Maria Sharapova will learn on Tuesday if she even has a chance of getting into the qualifying tournament for it. Federer confirmed on Monday that he will not play at Roland Garros this month and instead prepare to play on grass and hard courts later this season, posting a message on his website which read: “Roger to skip Roland Garros.” Federer’s note read: “Regrettably, I’ve decided not to participate in the French Open. I’ve http://www.broncosfootballprosshop.com/Max_Garcia_Jersey_Cheap 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.” The Swiss also missed last year’s French Open through injury, the first time he failed to make the trip to Paris since his debut in 1999. He now appears to be prioritising Wimbledon, having won the tournament seven times. Sharapova’s return is building slow momentum against a backdrop of continued whispers. She tried hard to dispel the notion here at the Italian Open that she neither cares what her rivals think of her nor that she has just made the cut for the qualifying tournament at Wimbledon and might Michael Schofield Authentic Jersey be similarly favoured for the French Open qualifiers. On the first count she was convincing; on the second less so. Asked why she does not seem to attract wider approval and locker-room admiration the way Federer and Rafael Nadal do, the former world No1, seven matches into her comeback after a 15-month suspension for failing a drugs test at the Australian Open, fixed her inquisitor with a no-nonsense gaze. “I want to be a professional on and off the court,” she said. “I want to go to my press conference, I want to do my job, I want to make sure my body is ready for the next match, and that’s it.” Advertisement She has to get into the main draw of either slam first, but she will not be watching the Facebook Live event from the French Open at 6pm on Tuesday that will announce if she is to be awarded a wildcard for the lead-up tournament in Paris. Sharapova played solidly from the back of the court to beat the world No58, Christina McHale, 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 35 minutes here but so she should. It was her fifth straight win over the American and her fifth win since returning last month. “At this point it’s week http://www.jetsofficialsonline.com/Devin_Smith_Jersey_Cheap to week,” she said of her ranking, which stood at 211 on her arrival from Madrid, where she lost to her fiercest critic, Eugenie Bouchard, having reached the semi-finals in Stuttgart. As for criticism that she has had a gilded return (a conveniently delayed wild card in Germany and eased in here ahead of the local favourite Francesca Schiavone), she said: “I have had to face a lot of, as you say, distractions or opinions or judgment, since I was 17 years old. I play tennis for a lot of things and those are just not them any more.” She sounded similarly indifferent about making the cut for the Wimbledon qualifying tournament. “I don’t know how the Wimbledon qualifying works or the rankings,” she said to mild media astonishment. “Listen, winning matches will get me places so, if that’s where it got me today, then I will take it. I think maybe you guys assume that I know these things.” She did agree she missed tennis, though. “For me it’s the drive and the competition and being in situations that nothing else in life really brings you, the pressure moments and whether you’re ahead or you’re behind, the will and being in front of people that are there to watch you compete and play. I love that feeling. That’s what I really miss.” You could believe that. Britain’s Aljaz Bedene and Kyle Edmund are through to the second round after contrasting wins – but both face hellish challenges. Bedene, who won on retirement against the Italian wild card Gianluca Mager, plays a wounded Novak Djokovic. “Definitely he’s not playing as good as he was and I’m playing better now,” Bedene said. “I’m only going to try and focus on my Dion Bailey Youth Jersey game and be as aggressive as I can be. Advertisement “I played Andy [Murray], I played Rafa. But when Djokovic was playing his best tennis, it was probably the best. I didn’t like it as much as Andy or Rafa’s ball. The speed, the power, using the whole body: I was always on the back foot. When I was playing Andy and Rafa, obviously they beat me, but I felt I could do something if I played well. He takes it early. He is solid all round.” Edmund looked strong and confident in defeating the Portuguese Jo?o Sousa 6-3, 6-4 but he will next come up against Juan Martín del Potro, who last night beat Grigor Dimitrov in their first-round match 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. They are all in the quarter with Nick Kyrgios, who plays Roberto Bautista Agut on Tuesday. The Australian, playing the best tennis of his young career, arrived here with his new coach, Sebastian Grosjean. It remains to be seen if he will stay with him, however. The Australian split with Todd Larkham and Joshua Eagle in June, 2015, when only 20, relying thereafter on the occasional advice of his Davis Cup captain, Lleyton Hewitt, and the off-court help of conditioner Matt James and physio William Maher
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