"Hard to make a prediction on Rafael Nadal... Novak Djokovic has chances" - Roger Federer assesses future of his two biggest rivals
Roger Federer recently assessed the future of his great rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Federer himself retired in 2022, but Nadal and Djokovic are still active on the ATP Tour. However, time is slowly but surely running out for both the Spaniard and the Serb.
Rafael Nadal, 38, has been plagued by injuries in recent years. Even though the 22-time Major winner returned to action at the beginning of this season after a long spell on the sidelines, he has struggled to play as much as he would have liked. Much of that has to do with his inability to reach peak fitness and also concerns that he might sustain a fresh injury.
In terms of Grand Slam appearances this season, Nadal could only show up at the French Open, but any small hope of him contending for his 15th title at Roland Garros was extinguished in the first round by Alexander Zverev. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic's own form has nosedived this season, with the only exception being his gold medal triumph at the Paris Olympics.
The Serb clinched his 22nd, 23rd, and 24th Majors last year, and it was expected that he would once again be a consistent favorite at the Slams this season. Unfortunately for Djokovic, the continuing rise of Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and other young players finally seems to have caught up with him.
The 24-time Major winner lost to Sinner in the Australian Open semifinals and then to Alcaraz for the second straight year in the Wimbledon final. At the US Open, the Serb's most recent Grand Slam outing, he suffered a shock upset at the hands of Alexei Popyrin. However, his resounding success at the Paris Olympics is a reminder that it still may be a tad bit too early to rule Djokovic out of winning more Slams.
Roger Federer, speaking at a 2024 Laver Cup pre-tournament press conference, said that it's difficult for him to predict how Rafael Nadal's near future in tennis will shape up. This admission stemmed from the stop-and-start nature of Nadal's participation at events this season. The Spaniard has only managed to play 19 matches this year and has a 12-7 win-loss record.
"With Rafa we don't know -- it remains to be seen. It's hard for me to make a prediction on Rafa because of the little tennis he has played this year," Federer said.
However, the 20-time Major champion went on to say that Novak Djokovic is likely to be a contender for the biggest titles going forward.
"Novak, winning the Olympics and playing somewhat let's say a full season -- he didn't bow out because of injuries, he chose to play less which is normal when you get a bit older. I feel like he has chances moving forward," Federer added.
In a separate interview, Federer also reflected on Nadal's withdrawal from the 2024 Laver Cup, where the two would have once again been in close proximity had the Spaniard played.
"I had high hopes that somehow Rafael Nadal would manage to play a match, but..." - Roger Federer on Spaniard's Laver Cup 2024 absence
The Laver Cup, despite not being a Grand Slam or a tournament that carries ranking points for players, will always be special for Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and their respective fans. Two years ago, Federer bid an emotional farewell to tennis at the event. Both Nadal and Djokovic were there, and even they couldn't hold back their tears, clearly overwhelmed by the magnitude of the occasion.
This year, Nadal was slated to be one star for Team Europe at the Laver Cup. However, around a week ahead of the event, the Spaniard confirmed that he wouldn't be playing. He was eventually replaced by Grigor Dimitrov.
In an interview with the Hamburger Morgenpost (Mopo), Federer said that he had hoped that Nadal could make it to Berlin. However, according to the Swiss, the Spaniard told him that he "preferred not to" because he was not sure if he was physically prepared to play.
"I had high hopes that somehow he would manage to play a match, but he simply told us he preferred not to, that he can't and doesn't feel prepared. I think he has to decide what to do next, and I think that's the moment he is going through right now," Federer said.
It remains to be seen where Nadal and Djokovic play next. It was widely expected that the Serb would prioritize qualifying for the year-end Nitto ATP Finals in Turin after his US Open debacle. However, the 24-time Major winner recently stated that the year-end tournament isn't a priority for him anymore.