'I'm too scared to hurt myself' says Federer after conceding year-end No.1 ranking to Nadal
KEY POINTS
- Federer pulled out of the Paris Masters due to fitness issues.
- Federer's absence saw Nadal secure the year-end No.1 ranking after his second round win.
Roger Federer remained insistent during the course of the campaign that chasing the world number one ranking was not his priority as he concentrated on remaining fit and winning titles.
The Swiss ace started the season ranked number 17 in the world, but is set to end the campaign as the number two ranked player owing to his seven titles in 2017 which includes two Grand Slams – the Australian Open and the Wimbledon.
Federer's long-time rival Rafael Nadal confirmed his place as the year-end number one with his second round win at the Paris Masters on Wednesday (1 November) and it was only possible because of the former's withdrawal from the tournament due to fitness issues.
Both of them were closely matched in the race for the number one ranking until August, but Federer's failure to play in Cincinnati and his quarter-final exit at the US Open, which Nadal won gave the Spaniard the advantage. The Swiss star conceded the race after pulling out of the tournament in the French capital but made it clear that he still remains interested in climbing the summit of the rankings.
Federer has played a limited schedule this season after missing the last five months of 2016 with a knee injury. He skipped the entire clay court swing of the campaign in order to remain fresh for the grass and hard court events and has taken the similar route in order to be fit for the season ending ATP Finals event in London later in the month.
"Do not believe that the place of No 1 does not interest me anymore," Federer said, as quoted by the Express.
"In the end, that's why we play tennis. And missing this tournament Bercy that I love, which is played in a city that I love too, costs me a lot.
"But I'm too scared to hurt myself," the 19-time men's singles Grand Slam champion explained.
