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| Source: Getty |
Unexpectedly, Roger Federer withdrew from the Paris Masters happening this week which leaves ensuring Rafael Nadal has a clear opportunity to end the year as the world no. 1.
Federer claimed a 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 victory over Juan Martin del Potro on his home ground tournament, the Swiss Indoors final in Basel last weekend and right after that withdrew from the Paris Masters as he looks to get back to full fitness. If you would like to find out how other players perform instead, be sure to check out the betting lines for Paris Masters.
Nadal, currently leads the rankings and it is now every likely that the old rivals will battle it out at the ATP finals at the end of the season event.
Federer, fresh from winning a 95th career title which puts him into second on the all-time list behind the 109 of Jimmy Connors, had said all week that he would make a late decision depending on his post-Basel fitness.
"My body is asking for a break," said the Swiss maestro.
"Basel takes a lot out of me emotionally. I had five matches in six days. I feel sorry and sad for Paris."
"I love to play at Bercy, it's a few times now that I've not played there. It's a tough one but they have to understand that it's for the cause of staying injury-free and healthy."
"I'd like to be fully fit for London (the World Tour Finals) and for 2018."
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| Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe |
According to ATP calculations, Nadal can clinch the year-end number one status by winning his opening second round match in Paris.
The Spaniard will open his campaign at Bercy against South Korean young player Hyeon Chung. If you are tracking the betting lines for Paris Masters, you know where to go to while keeping an eye on the players' performance during this period.
Federer last played Paris in 2015 and won the title in 2011.
"I did think about the ranking, but I'm so far back in the points race that it was almost out of the question," added Federer.
"I asked myself what I would do if the ranking (issue) was not there. I want to stay injury-free, not push it and maybe get hurt next week and then miss London."
"It would be a snowball. It was not really about the ranking to be quite honest. If I was closer in the points race (to Nadal) it might have been."
Federer is now 1,460 ranking points behind Nadal and misses out on the chance of the 1,000 on offer in Paris.
