Roger Federer to miss Rio Olympics

2 minute read
Updated 3:12 PM EDT, Tue July 26, 2016
Roger Federer is the most successful men's player of the professional tennis era, with 17 grand slam titles to his name.
Roger Federer is the most successful men's player of the professional tennis era, with 17 grand slam titles to his name.
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The 34-year-old has played in more grand slam finals -- 27 -- than any other male player in the Open Era.
The 34-year-old has played in more grand slam finals -- 27 -- than any other male player in the Open Era.
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Federer has spent a record 302 weeks at No. 1 in the ATP rankings during his career, last holding top spot in November 2012.
Federer has spent a record 302 weeks at No. 1 in the ATP rankings during his career, last holding top spot in November 2012.
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He is one of only eight male players to have won all four grand slam titles, and has reached the final of each major tournament at least five times.
He is one of only eight male players to have won all four grand slam titles, and has reached the final of each major tournament at least five times.
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In 2012, Federer won a record-equaling seventh Wimbledon title, matching his childhood hero Pete Sampras and 1880s star William Renshaw.
In 2012, Federer won a record-equaling seventh Wimbledon title, matching his childhood hero Pete Sampras and 1880s star William Renshaw.
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Ahead of Wimbledon 2016, Federer had won 1,075 career matches since his pro debut in 1998, with 244 defeats, from 348 tournaments entered.
Ahead of Wimbledon 2016, Federer had won 1,075 career matches since his pro debut in 1998, with 244 defeats, from 348 tournaments entered.
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Federer is hoping to become the second tennis player after Novak Djokovic to crack $100 million in career prize money -- he had $98,148,225 ahead of Wimbledon 2016.
Federer is hoping to become the second tennis player after Novak Djokovic to crack $100 million in career prize money -- he had $98,148,225 ahead of Wimbledon 2016.
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Federer won the U.S. Open five years in a row from 2004 but has not triumphed in New York since -- though he was runner-up in 2009 and 2015.
Federer won the U.S. Open five years in a row from 2004 but has not triumphed in New York since -- though he was runner-up in 2009 and 2015.
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He has also experienced success on the blue hard-courts of Melbourne, winning the Australian Open on four occasions.
He has also experienced success on the blue hard-courts of Melbourne, winning the Australian Open on four occasions.
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He won his only French Open in 2009, despite the interference of a court invader in the final. Federer had lost the previous three title matches at Roland Garros, and would suffer defeat on the famous red clay again in 2011 -- each time against his old rival Rafael Nadal.
He won his only French Open in 2009, despite the interference of a court invader in the final. Federer had lost the previous three title matches at Roland Garros, and would suffer defeat on the famous red clay again in 2011 -- each time against his old rival Rafael Nadal.
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Federer has won the season-ending ATP championship a record six times.
Federer has won the season-ending ATP championship a record six times.
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Two of those have come since the ATP finals switched to London in 2009, though Federer has been beaten in three of the past four title matches by Djokovic.
Two of those have come since the ATP finals switched to London in 2009, though Federer has been beaten in three of the past four title matches by Djokovic.
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images/file
Of his 88 singles titles, Federer has won his home Swiss Indoors event in Basel -- where he used to be a ball boy -- a record seven times.
Of his 88 singles titles, Federer has won his home Swiss Indoors event in Basel -- where he used to be a ball boy -- a record seven times.
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Federer has won one Olympic gold medal -- in doubles with Swiss partner Stan Wawrinka at the 2008 Olympics.
Federer has won one Olympic gold medal -- in doubles with Swiss partner Stan Wawrinka at the 2008 Olympics.
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Four years later, he had to settle for silver after being beaten by Andy Murray, left, in the London men's singles final.
Four years later, he had to settle for silver after being beaten by Andy Murray, left, in the London men's singles final.
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Federer has won the Davis Cup once, helping Switzerland beat France in the 2014 final of the prestigious international team tournament.
Federer has won the Davis Cup once, helping Switzerland beat France in the 2014 final of the prestigious international team tournament.
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He was recognized by his fellow pros after serving as president of the ATP Player Council from 2008-2014.
He was recognized by his fellow pros after serving as president of the ATP Player Council from 2008-2014.
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Federer has four children -- two sets of twins -- with wife Mirka, pictured pregnant in 2009 after the Swiss player won Wimbledon for the sixth time.
Federer has four children -- two sets of twins -- with wife Mirka, pictured pregnant in 2009 after the Swiss player won Wimbledon for the sixth time.
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His daughters are often seen at tournaments -- here with their mother, herself a former tennis pro, in Madrid in 2013. The boys, born in 2014, also accompany the family on tour.
His daughters are often seen at tournaments -- here with their mother, herself a former tennis pro, in Madrid in 2013. The boys, born in 2014, also accompany the family on tour.
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Roger Federer: A glittering career in numbers

Story highlights

Tennis legend takes doctors' advice

Needs to recover from knee problem

Aims to return to ATP Tour in 2017

CNN  — 

Roger Federer has revealed he will miss next month’s Rio Olympics – and the rest of this season – in order to extend his tennis career.

The 34-year-old had hoped to represent Switzerland and win his first singles gold medal, but has taken medical advice to rest so he can properly recover from February’s knee surgery.

“The doctors advised that if I want to play on the ATP World Tour injury-free for another few years, as I intend to do, I must give both my knee and body the proper time to fully recover,” he said on his Facebook page Tuesday.

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spc open court new rio tennis center_00011527.jpg
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Related video Olympic confidential: Inside Rio 2016 Tennis Center

Federer had long been renowned for his lack of injuries, but back and knee problems have hampered the 17-time major winner in recent times.

The world No. 3 has played only seven tournaments in 2016, with his most recent appearance a semifinal defeat at Wimbledon this month.

“It is tough to miss the rest of the year,” he said. “However, the silver lining is that this experience has made me realize how lucky I’ve been throughout my career with few injuries.

Read: Federer’s career-defining stats

“The love I have for tennis – the competition, tournaments and, of course, you the fans – remains intact.

“I am as motivated as ever and plan to put all my energy towards coming back strong, healthy and in shape to play attacking tennis in 2017.”

Read: Is Zika an excuse for skipping Olympics?

The Olympic tennis events have been squeezed into the middle of a heavy August schedule on the men’s and women’s tours, leading up to the U.S. Open at the end of that month. They will be played on fast hard-courts – not the clay of February’s Rio Open – so players do not have to adjust.

However, the Rio Games don’t offer valuable ranking points – which led to players such as French Open semifinalist Dominic Thiem, American world No. 16 John Isner and Spain’s No. 20 Feliciano Lopez favoring ATP Tour events instead.

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Canada’s Milos Raonic, who lost the Wimbledon final after beating Federer, pulled out of Rio due to fears over the Zika virus – and was soon followed by fellow top-10 men’s player Tomas Berdych and women’s world No. 5 Simona Halep.

Former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, meanwhile, has pulled out of competition for the rest of this year as she is pregnant with her first child.

Serena Williams and Andy Murray are scheduled to defend their Olympic singles titles, with the Rio tournaments starting August 6 and culminating the following weekend.