Roger Federer: The REAL reason star skips clay battle with Rafael Nadal

Federer, 37, is having to manage his schedule more carefully now he has reached the latter part of his career.

To do so, the 20-time Grand Slam winner has avoided the clay season – his least successful surface – to rest ahead of Wimbledon.

However, specialist fitness trainer Jose Salvat reckons Federer cannot play on the red dirt because it aggravates his long-term knee knee injury.

“Roger has been skipping the clay for three consecutive years to prevent a knee injury after that he already underwent surgery,” Salvat told Tennis Land.

“The game style definitely plays a factor on injuries.

“On a motion level, Federer is very good. He is like the [ballet performer Rudolf] Nureyev of tennis.

“He has a brutal coordination, moving very well.

“It means less effort and fewer chances to get injured. It doesn’t mean that he does not get injured but that he has less risk of hurting.

“The high-level sport is not healthy in terms of bones.

“From a physical and mental side, the ideal thing would be to play maximum for three weeks and then having two free weeks in order to recover and be back to compete.”

Meanwhile, Federer is due to arrive at the Paris Masters today as he hunts his 100th ATP title after winning the Swiss Indoors last week.

“That could be a turnaround for me,” Federer said after his straight sets victory against Marius Copil in the final.

“I played better at the Laver Cup and in Shanghai. Of course, I have already won this tournament in a different way in the past.

“This time it was more fight. But it’s fun and self-confident. That’s what I need if I want to win in London.”