Federer to Miss French Open

The tennis world's premier clay celebration is just around the corner.

All eyes dedicated to staring at fuzzy balls will be fixed on Paris starting this Sun 22 May.

Chiropractors are clearing their schedules to accommodate swiveling neck issues.

The French Open is about to take center stage.

Unfortunately, this year’s tourney at Roland Garros will be missing one of the sport's biggest draws.

That would be the man, the myth, the legend: Roger Federer.

Mere days before the start of the year's second Grand Slam, the Swiss slugger announced via his Facebook page -- a sure sign he's past it -- that he will not be playing in the French Open.

Dude's been hampered by a nagging back injury he suffered late last year. Rather than risk further injury, Federer has decided to rest and recover during the Roland Garros festivities.

It’s going to be weird watching a tennis major without seeing him. After all, he's played in every one since the 1999 US Open. That's a record 65 straight Grand Slam appearances over a span 17 years.

How will the event promoters compensate?

Federer's streak has played a big part in his ability to capture a record 17 Slam singles championships.

Just ask Rafael Nadal, whose own Grand Slam title pursuits have been hampered by five missed appearances since 2006.

One could argue that Federer won’t miss much by skipping Roland Garros. Historically, clay's not his surface; he's a mere 1-for-5 in the finals there.

Then again, even at age 34, dude and his amazing hair are still a threat to capture another Slam before all is said and done.

He’ll probably find ways to entertain himself at home, anyway.