Grigor Dimitrov adds David Nalbandian to coaching team with hope of getting "myself in the same place again"

Roger Federer has opted to delay his return to action, announcing his intent to withdraw from the upcoming Masters 1000 double of the National Bank Open in Toronto and the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati on Thursday, citing a knee injury.

The 20-time major champion last played at the Wimbledon Championships, where he bowed out to Hubert Hurkacz in the quarterfinals.

A two-time champion in Canada—both times when the event was held in Toronto—Federer has enjoyed far greater success on the quicker courts featured in Mason, Ohio, winning a record seven titles to amass a total 47-10 record. His most recent victory came in 2015, where he overcame Novak Djokovic in the final.

Advertising

Federer last won Cincinnati in 2015, where he famously unveiled his "SABR" return technique.

On the precipice of his 40th birthday, Federer withdrew from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to the same knee issue, with an obvious eye towards optimal preparation for the US Open. Federer is currently in a three-way tie with Rafael Nadal and Djokovic, who has won all three major tournaments thus far in 2021, for the men’s Open Era record.

Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev and Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini are also among the notable withdrawals from the National Bank Open, which was canceled in 2020 due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.

The Western & Southern Open is set to return to its annual Cincinnati staging after putting on a one-off performance at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center last summer.

Advertising