Roger Federer Pulls Out of Italian Open 2019 Due to Leg Injury; Sends a Message for Fans

Roger Federer has made a tough decision as he has pulled out from the quarter-finals of the Italian Open 2019. The quarter-final match was against Stefanos Tsitsipas and the 20-time Grand Slam winner was hurt during his match against Borna Coric. Federer hurt his knee as he slipped on the wet baseline. After he pulled out from the tournament, Federer posted a message for his fans on social media and said that it was quite a tough decision for him. Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic Join Roger Federer in Italian Open 2019 Quarter-Finals.

Federer wrote on Twitter: "I had to take the tough decision this morning to pull out of the Italian Open as I am not feeling 100% physically. The fan reaction and crowd energy during my matches yesterday remind me exactly why I am still competing on the ATP Tour. Mazie Grille! A presto.”

After the match against Borna Coric, he had even complained to the chair umpires about the wet line on the tennis court. During the press conference, he said, “The lines are wet. Wet playing lines mean you slide. When I slid I hurt myself. I did hurt my toe for two games and my leg was also hurting a little bit. I just don’t understand. They don’t make us play but they should call time. They make us stand there and feel the pressure from 10,000 people and a live audience. Federer won the game 2-6,6-4, 7-6. He also went on to beat Joao Sousa by 6-4,6-3 to reach the last eight of the contest.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 17, 2019 08:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).