Cape Town - Roger Federer still hopes to make a return to clay in the near future, but has ruled out playing Monte Carlo this year.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion has skipped clay season in its entirety, including the French Open, in recent years as he believes it impacts on his preparations for grass.
READ: Federer to play Roland Garros for first time since 2015
However, he has recently confirmed that is set to change in 2019, and now he's added clues to what his schedule will likely be.
"I do not want to play much more," Federer admitted.
"I'd rather train more and prepare well for the grass-court season, I do not definitely want to overdo it.
"What tournament should we look at? Monte Carlo is probably too early."
The Monte Carlo Masters is set to get underway on April 13, meaning we are probably more likely to see Federer back on the red dirt in Madrid (May 3) and/or Rome.