Roger Federer out for Olympics, season with knee injury

By Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press

Roger Federer is sitting out the rest of this season, including the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and U.S. Open, to protect his surgically repaired left knee.​

Federer wrote Tuesday on his Facebook page that he will skip the Summer Games, where the tennis competition starts next week, and has been advised by doctors to remain sidelined for the remainder of 2016.

"I'm extremely disappointed to announce that I will not be able to represent Switzerland at the Olympic Games in Rio and that I will also miss the remainder of the season. Considering all options after consulting with my doctors and my team, I have made the very difficult decision to call an end to my 2016 season as I need more extensive rehabilitation following my knee surgery earlier this year," Federer writes. 

The owner of a record 17 Grand Slams titles turns 35 on Aug. 8. He hasn't played since losing to Milos Raonic in the Wimbledon semifinals early this month. Federer fell awkwardly during that match and said at the time he wasn't sure how badly he might have been injured.

Federer is the first member of tennis' so-called "Big 4" — a group that includes Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray — to pull out of the Rio Games, where that sport's competition starts on Aug. 6, a day after the opening ceremony.

The arthroscopic procedure Federer had on his knee in February, repairing torn cartilage, was the first operation of his lengthy and accomplished career. He's also had back issues this season, missed the French Open to end his record 65-appearance streak at major tournaments, and did not win a title of any sort in 2016 — making it the first year since 2000 he will end without at least one trophy.

So after participating in every single Grand Slam tournament from the 2000 Australian Open through the 2016 Australian Open, Federer will be sitting out two of the last three this year.

His agent, Tony Godsick, wrote in an email to The Associated Press that Federer's plan is to "be ready for the start of next year."

"It is tough to miss the rest of the year. However, the silver lining is that this experience has made me realize how lucky I have been throughout my career with very few injuries. 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," Federer wrote.

The third-ranked Swiss earned a silver medal in the singles event at the 2012 London Olympics and a gold in doubles at the 2008 Games in Beijing.