Wimbledon - Federer angers Halle organizers with withdrawal

World number three Roger Federer withdrew from a Wimbledon warm-up tournament in Halle, Germany due to a sore groin, much to the anger of the organizers of the tournament.

Federer lost to Rafael Nadal in a four-set thriller in the final of the French Open at Roland Garros on Sunday. With the Wimbledon due to start on 20 June, the Swiss has decided to rest his sore groin and on Monday, pulled out of the Gerry Weber Open grass court event.

The 29-year-old is a five-time winner of the Halle event, but he felt it was too big a risk to play in the warm-up tournament before Wimbledon.

He said, After talking with my team this morning, I feel that it is too big a risk to take a chance and aggravate it before Wimbledon.

I am very disappointed as it's one of my absolute favorite tournaments on the ATP Tour, but my body, especially my groin, really needs a rest.

His decision has angered the officials of the Halle tournament.

Tournament organizer Ralf Webber said, I am stunned. Our plans for the past year have been nearly exclusively with Roger appearing. He never gave us any doubts that he had health problems. I clearly expressed my disappointment to his management.

First seed Federer would have met Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the first round at Halle.