Federer's schedule 2009

Roger Federer, through his website, published today his 2009 schedule. Everybody already knew about his renewed commitment to an intense preparation to Australian Open (he will play exhibitions in Abu Dhabi and Kooyong and the official tournament of Doha). Today we also know what will happen next.
After Australian season Federer will have some weeks off and will traditionally restart to play in Dubai, a sort of second hometown tournament for him. Then he will fly to USA, for a triple challenge: the Davis Cup first round and the two 1000 in Indian Wells and Miami.
After this “March madness” we have some news: no Estoril (where he is the reigning champion) no Montecarlo… Just Rome and Madrid before French Open. The choice can let us think about a ch’ange of attitude: it is like Federer joining the “Sampras attitude” towards the French Open. No more involvment in a long and tiring clay court season, just the biggest and obligatory tournament. The words of Federer after this year final in Paris came immediately to my mind: “Clay court season is finally over”… maybe he doesn't want to repeat the exhausting and unsatisfactory experience of this year (four tournaments+ French Open!).
The only thing that is sure is that the Montecarlo tournament in its first year as a "fake" big tournament already suffer a hard shot and it is deprived of a three times former finalist.
The season of Federer then will continue after the French Open with Halle and Wimbledon and the two North-American 1000 tournaments before the Us Open.
The indoor season will see the Swiss maestro playing in Tokyo and Shangai, before moving to Europe for the hometown tournament of Basel and Paris Bercy prior to London Atp Finals.
For what concern Paris Bercy, maybe this year the tournament could be luckier: in last editions the tournament was afflicted by a terrible series of withdrawals. Maybe, having one more week of gap after the previous 1000 tournament , it could have some more top players struggling for the title. Even if, I fear, the only thing that would guarantee Paris Bercy a big clash could be the hunt for numer one, that in the last five years was decided well before.

Gianluca Comuniello