"I think Rafael Nadal gets along better with Roger Federer than with Novak Djokovic, but I don't know why" - Nadal's Head of Communications Benito Perez-Barbadillo
In a recent interview with Diario De Cadiz, Rafael Nadal's head of communications Benito Perez-Barbadillo revealed that the Spaniard gets along better with Roger Federer than with Novak Djokovic. Although Perez-Barbadillo claimed he doesn't know the reason for that, he affirmed that Federer and Nadal always stay in touch with each other.
Despite being fierce rivals who have played each other 40 times on the court, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer share a healthy bond off the court. Interestingly, Federer was one of the first to congratulate Nadal when the Spaniard overtook him in the Grand Slam race by emerging victorious at the 2022 Australian Open.
"Yes, I think so [that Nadal gets along better with Federer than Djokovic], but I don't know why," Perez-Barbadillo said. "It is true that Rafa and Federer get along very well and that they are regularly in contact through mobile messages. Could be that Rafa and Roger get along better, period. Because I can assure you that all three are very good people."
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Perez-Barbadillo, who has also worked with Djokovic in the past, further disclosed that he had advised the Serb to keep his rivalry with Nadal "on the court" before parting ways with him in 2011. He believes Djokovic did follow his advice, as he has maintained good relations with Nadal since then.
Perez-Barbadillo also expressed hope that the equation between the two players doesn't change in the aftermath of Djokovic's vaccine controversy.
"When I stopped working with Djokovic in 2011, the only advice I gave him was to keep his rivalry with Nadal on the court, not to face him outside of competition," Perez-Barbadillo said. "And I think he listened to me because outside the two also get along. I hope the situation hasn't changed after the last episode in Australia."
Moving on to Rafael Nadal's qualities as a player, Benito Perez-Barbadillo highlighted how the World No. 5 uses his intelligence to outwit his opponents. Perez-Barbadillo believes the Spaniard has "no rival" on the ATP tour when it comes to court smarts.
"For me, Rafa is a tennis phenomenon from all points of view," the communications head said. "But the best thing he has is his head because he has tremendous intelligence when playing. For me there he has no rival."
Benito Pérez-Barbadillo talks about Rafael Nadal as a person, says he is a "normal and very good" guy
Benito Perez-Barbadillo went on to assert that Rafael Nadal is a humble and nice person off the court. He also surmised that Nadal likes Federer because of his authenticity, and that neither of them is a "created thing".
"He is different from us Andalusians, obviously, but he is a very normal guy and a very good person," Perez-Barbadillo said. "I think that Rafa likes him [Federer] so much for that very reason, because he is very authentic, without duplicity, and because he is not a created thing."
Rafael Nadal is likely to play next at the Acapulco Open, a tournament he has won thrice in his career. Roger Federer, meanwhile, is currently nursing a knee injury and may not appear on the court before Wimbledon.