Federer's clay-court season depends on knee injury

MONTE CARLO (Principality of Monaco): Roger Federer won't be rushed into hasty decisions on his pre-French Open schedule after successfully testing his surgically-repaired right knee by reaching the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters.

Though the Swiss lost 3-6, 6-2, 75 on Friday to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a match lasting for more than two hours gave Federer an ideal read on his physical state.

The satisfied 34-year-old will depart the principality ready to work for the next few weeks on his fitness and will not decide on his participation in the Madrid and Rome Masters events next month until he feel ready to commit.

"It was a good week, but I need to spend more hours on the court. It's better than other beginnings of the clay-court season," the 17time Grand Slam champion said.

"I need to be able to play service game after service game. It's good after an injury. During my two first matches, I was quite aggressive. Today it was good to see also how I was doing in defence."

Federer has already mapped out his next fortnight and has ruled out a wildcard into the small Estoril event.

"I will know more tomorrow, I'll see how I feel when I get up. I'll see how my knee feels, my body feels. It's important to see how your body reacts after two hours, 10 minutes of a match.

"I'll speak with (coach) Seve Luthi and Pierre (Paganini, fitness trainer). I might decide to practise a bit more here because in Switzerland the weather's not nice. I might go there. I don't know."

Federer said that his team already has a training schedule set up and that his decisions on playing Madrid and Rome would only come at the last minute.

"I believe in 10 days I'll be able to make a decision about Madrid. I'll see how I experience this week and I'll see what I'll do for Madrid. Rome, maybe I can decide in 15 days." - AFP