Quote:
Originally Posted by Strange Brew
I think he would want to play the French one last time, don't you?
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I think he'd prefer to win Wimbledon 2-3 more times. And that'll never happen if he grinds himself down on clay, for what amounts to a less than 5% chance of actually winning the French. If he skips the French and is healthy and focused, he's gotta be at worst a 33% shot to win at least one more Wimbledon, given what we just saw. If anything, maybe he plays Aussie, skips the winter hard court run, and plays one clay warm up and one FO, but that seems so unlikely, basically would play one tournament in five months, and a major at that. Clay is just not worth it, too physically taxing and far too many middling overall players who are actually very dangerous on clay only. From a math perspective, he has no real reason or incentive to play it ever again.
As far as Fed playing Montreal, I'd be surprised. His track record in Canada pales to what it is in Cincinnati, and unlike playing Indian Wells and Miami back to back, there's not the extended field of Miami that could give him a few extra days off, and there's a major two weeks after Cincy unlike there being nothing after Miami. That said given that he's followed his two losses this year with two tournament wins, perhaps he should play Montreal with the intention to tank, setting himself up for the next two tournaments which are what he really wants.