"Have to consider Rafael Nadal a little older, plus he's had more severe injuries than Novak Djokovic": When Roger Federer discussed rivals' longevity
Roger Federer once provided his prediction regarding the longevity of his arch-rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, especially their ability to bounce back from challenging matches.
Nadal and defending champion Djokovic set up a blockbuster title clash at the 2013 ATP Finals. The Serb beat Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 6-3 in the semifinals, while Nadal claimed a commanding 7-5, 6-3 win over Federer to reach the final.
Following his loss to the Spaniard, Roger Federer fielded a question about how long he expected Nadal and Djokovic's ability to bounce back from tough matches to last.
In response, the Swiss pointed out that both players were in their prime, making it likely that they would be able to rebound effectively for quite some time.
"Well, I don't know. I mean, I don't know where the game's going to go. They're clearly in their prime right now in terms of age and the way they're playing and rankings and so forth. So from that standpoint you would think that's going to still be for some time they'll be able to do that," he said in his post-match press conference.
However, Federer conceded that Nadal's early success on tour caused him to be viewed as older than Djokovic, despite them only being a year apart in age.
He also pointed out that the Spaniard had to endure a lot more serious injuries compared to Djokovic, suggesting that these factors could impact his longevity.
"Rafa started earlier on the tour. He was unbelievably successful as a teenager, like Bjorn Borg was. I think they're the two most successful teenagers we've had in our sport already," he said.
"So for Rafa maybe, you almost have to consider him a little older. Plus he's had more severe injuries than Novak has. I don't know how much that plays into it all," he added.
The Swiss also emphasized the importance of maintaining their commitment and having the willingness to deal with the "pain" of being on tour, asserting that their longevity would depend on more than just bouncing back from tough matches.
"I think for them it's more about commitment, wanting to do it, wanting to bounce back, wanting to take the pain day in, day out. That's the grind that's more difficult than I think the actual bounce‑back," he said.
Roger Federer: "The way Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic play, it's just something you really want; If you don't want it any more, then retirement comes in quickly"
Roger Federer went on to admit that, after playing for three weeks in a row, he felt a bit tired but emphasized that he could block out his fatigue.
The Swiss asserted that Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic exhibited a similar determination during their matches, saying that if they lost that desire to compete, retirement would not be far behind.
"I just played three weeks in a row. It's fine, you know. Of course, I was a little tired today, but you can block that out to a degree," he said in the press conference.
"From that standpoint, I think the way they play, the way they do all of that defending, it's just something you really want. If you don't want it any more, then retirement probably comes in very quickly," he added.
Following his win over Federer, Nadal lost to Djokovic in the 2013 ATP Finals final, as the Serb secured a 6-3, 6-4 victory to clinch his second consecutive title and third title overall at the year-end championships.