Roger Federer can play 'the best tennis' even after two-month layoff says Angelique Kerber

Women's world number one Angelique Kerber believes Roger Federer will continue his fine form in 2017 even after skipping the entire clay-court season.

The Swiss ace has had a dream year so far. The 35-year-old returned from a knee injury to win his first Grand Slam since 2012 in the Australian Open after defeating Rafael Nadal in the final.

Federer then went on to win titles in Indian Wells and Miami to take his calendar year record to 19-1 before taking a break ahead of the French Open.

Despite doubts on whether he would take part in Roland Garros, the 18-time Grand Slam champion later confirmed he would take part in the event before changing his stance yet again recently, meaning he will miss the entire clay-court season.

Kerber, who overtook Serena Williams in the women's rankings to become world number one, does not plan on following in Federer's footsteps but believes if anyone can handle two months out of action and return to Wimbledon like nothing happened, it is the Swiss.

"Not really yet [about skipping the clay-court season]," Kerber said, as quoted on Tennis World USA. "I'm trying to just playing these tournaments, the bigger ones, and not more. But actually, I like to play a lot of matches. For me, it's important to have a lot of matches before especially a Grand Slam, to having a lot of confidence, and this is also the way I plan it."

"I planned it also last year. But I don't know [about not] playing [a] few weeks. I don't know if I can do this. Maybe later when I'm getting older and need a little bit of rest, then yes. I think Roger [Federer] is so great that he actually cannot play two months and then he is on court and he is just playing again the best tennis."

Kerber returned to action in the Italian Open against Estonia's Anett Kontaveit in the round of 32 but lost 6-4, 6-0 on Wednesday (17 May).