Tennis: Federer’s tip to Nadal: Make a decision at some point

Tennis legend Roger Federer advises his good friend and former rival Rafael Nadal not to delay the end of his career forever. “Time is gnawing at you. In the end, it might be helpful to make a decision at some point. And when it’s all over, you can just relax and say: oh, luckily no more training, luckily no more matches,” the Swiss told the German Press Agency on the sidelines of the Laver Cup in Berlin, which he co-initiated.

Federer (43) ended his successful career at Nadal’s side two years ago in a team competition inspired by the Ryder Cup in golf. Now the 38-year-old Mallorcan, who had cancelled his participation in the event in Berlin, is also ending his career. It is not known whether another injury is the reason for his absence in the German capital. “I was hoping so much that he would somehow manage to get a match in at the end, but he simply said he would rather not do it and couldn’t and didn’t feel ready,” reported Federer.

Federer’s wish

The former world number one is looking forward to Nadal’s next weeks and months with great curiosity. “But he sounds good. I think he just has to decide now how to proceed and I think that’s the time he’s going through at the moment,” the 20-time Grand Slam winner suspects, and he hailed Nadal as a tennis legend: “He has done everything for the sport. It would be phenomenal if he could add another season, but only Rafa himself can manage that.”

Nadal’s last appearance on the Grand Slam stage was in his living room at Roland Garros, when he lost in straight sets to German tennis star Alexander Zverev in the first round of the French Open in Paris at the end of May. At the Olympic Games, the Spaniard lost in the second round of singles to his long-time rival and eventual winner Novak Djokovic.

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