Roger Federer withdrew from the French Open to protect himself despite beating Dominik Koeper to reach the fourth round of the tournament.
Federer, the 20-time Grand Slam champion, had been due to face Italian ninth seed Matteo Berrettini on Monday but a statement released by French Open organisers, revealed the 39-year-old would not want to take much risk to his knee
“After two knee surgeries and over a year of rehabilitation it’s important that I listen to my body and make sure I don’t push myself too quickly on my road to recovery,” said Federer in a statement.
“After discussions with my team, I’ve decided I will need to pull out of Roland-Garros today.
“I am thrilled to have gotten three matches under my belt. There is no greater feeling than being back on court.”
Federer has made no secret that his priority for this year is Wimbledon, which starts on June 28.
He had two knee surgeries last year and had played only three matches in 16 months before arriving in Paris.
