Roger Federer reveals plans for 2018 season and talks about playing the French Open next year

Roger Federer is hoping that he can play the French Open in 2018 after skipping it this year in order to keep fit for the grass and hard court events later in the season.

The Swiss ace skipped the entire clay court swing of the season this year following a blistering start to the season that saw him win three of the four events he entered.

Federer's decision to skip the clay court tournaments paid off as he won on his return at Halle before adding a record eighth title at the Wimbledon Championships. The 36-year-old continued his form into the second-half of the campaign picking up titles in Shanghai and Basel, with the only disappointment coming at the US Open when he succumbed in the quarter-finals after being the favourite for the title.

The 19-time men's singles Grand Slam champion had made it clear since the start of the campaign that fitness rather than chasing titles was his main priority for 2017 and he did not waiver from his commitment. Federer has played a limited schedule this year; he has played just 53 games this campaign compared to Rafael Nadal's 77.

However, the Swiss tennis star is hoping that he can play some of the clay court events next season especially the French Open. But Federer admitted that he will take that decision depending on his health following the Australian Open in January, and the two Masters Series events in Indian Wells and Miami in March.

"I am considering all options," Federer said, as quoted by the Express. "I always look at the season up to Indian Well and Miami, then connect it up to Wimbledon. I will always talk to my team to ask what they think because they were a big part of my decision not to play this year."

"I was ready to do it till the very end but when I sat down in Madrid or Rome, they said think about it because the year before I had problems on the clay. I agreed that maybe it was the right decision not to push it," he explained.

"Next year, though, everything is back on the table and everything is possible. I am hoping to play but I have to be very cautious with my decision making."

"It might be better to wait and see what happens at the beginning of the season. I have to take everything into consideration," the world number two added.