Reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Roger Federer has praised his arch-rival and the current World No. 1 Rafael Nadal for his contribution in his evolution as a tennis player.
Calling his rivalry with the Spaniard as ‘amazing’, Federer also spoke about the state of his game and why he opted to skip the upcoming French Open. The Swiss superstar told Vogue magazine that he wasn’t too bothered about the fact that Nadal has replaced him as the No. 1 player in the world.
Federer said: “The rankings don’t affect my game. I worked hard to get back to number one, but at this point of my career, chasing that is not the goal. Staying healthy, making sure I am prepared for the big events, and playing places where I enjoy are the real goals. Playing against Rafa for so many years has been amazing—he pushed me to innovate, work harder, and to develop my game. I don’t think I would be the player I am today without him as my chief rival.”
“In consultation with my team, it became clear that if I wanted to try hard to stay on tour for a few more years, I could not play the same busy schedule that I did years back. I needed to balance everything in my life and make sure I had enough time for training, rest, and recovery—and philanthropy. Also, being a father to four kids and a great husband for my wife was paramount in deciding my schedule. But hopefully I can play Roland Garros again before my career is over.”
“It feels to me like I just started playing and have only been on the tour for five years or so—time flies when you are having fun, I guess, but I have felt this way for twenty years. Of course in some ways I wish I still had more years on the tour, and that this wasn’t my twentieth year. But over the course of my career I’ve faced many adversities: playing with injuries, and while hurt, sick, jet-lagged, or tired—even playing when you have four children can be challenging day-to-day, especially when you are at the top. But I see these adversities as a great challenge and feel that it is a privilege to be in this position.”