Roger Federer Must Quiet Concerns About Decline at 2013 French Open

Whether you like it or not, the concerns surrounding Roger Federer these days are legitimate.

If you simply compare this year's numbers to last year's, it's an across-the-board problem for the 17-time Grand Slam singles champion.

Coming into the French Open this year, Federer's numbers paled compared to last year's. That included his percentage of aces, double faults, service games won, break points saved and break points converted, via ATPWorldTour.com.

Federer's 2012 Numbers 

Federer's 2013 Numbers

He was also 18-6 with no singles titles headed into Roland Garros after going 71-12 with six singles titles last year. This is his first year since 2000 that he hasn't won a title before the French Open.

Yes, Federer dominated Pablo Carreno-Busta in the first round on Sunday, but that was hardly a great measure. No one's saying Federer isn't a top player anymore—people are saying he's declining, and it's hard to argue that at the moment.

It's one thing to see a small drop-off in one or two areas. It's quite another to see a drop-off in several areas. At 31 years of age, Federer is battling Father Time.

That's why it's important the all-time great makes the most of his time left on the court. We saw him shock at Wimbledon last year (or shock in general last year), so we know he has it in him, but as each year passes, his opportunities to win big tournaments will naturally decrease. That's not being negative, it's simply what happens to every tennis player when he approaches his mid-30s. There's a reason why the oldest player to ever be ranked No. 1 on the ATP Tour was 33 years old (Andre Agassi).

Unlike many tennis players his age, Federer has been able to hold off Father Time for the most part. A large part of that has to do with the fact that he's relied on his serve for the majority of his career, cutting back on his time chasing after balls in the process. Heck, he hit 50 aces against Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009, a Grand Slam tournament record.

But not even Federer's serve has been as dominant this year. He had 139 aces in 24 matches coming into the French Open (5.8 aces per match). He posted 665 aces in 83 matches last year (8.01 aces per match).

People have been saying for years that Federer is near his breaking point. The difference is, this time it feels more real than ever.

The Swiss great has a great opportunity to reach the final of the French Open this year, with both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the other half of the bracket. He must take advantage of the opportunity. Falling before the final would only give more credence to claims of his decline.