The fans are going to say I'm talking nonsense, but I think it will be hard for Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal to return: Nikolay Davydenko
In a recent interview with Eurosport, former World No. 3 Nikolay Davydenko shared his opinion on the possibility of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal successfully returning from their respective injuries.
Nikolay Davydenko won the ATP World Tour Finals in 2009, beating Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal en route. While he retired with a dismal head-to-head record against Federer (2-19), Davydenko is the only man other than Novak Djokovic to hold a positive win-loss record against Nadal (6-5) over 10 or more matches.
Speaking about the duo in the interview on Wednesday, the Russian opined it will be difficult for them to be competitive when they return - especially if they find themselves in long-drawn matches over five sets.
"I think it will be hard for Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer to return with such injuries," Davydenko said. "Of course, the fans are going to beat me up now and say I'm talking nonsense. But if you feel it as it is, then they will already give way little by little."
"Maybe they will win something - I'm not saying that they will all lose," he added. "But I don't think they can potentially win a five-set match. They can play an hour out of three sets, one and a half. And so you can play a tournament, but the main thing is that if something does not work out again, some kind of injury."
The former World No. 3 expressed his reservations not just about the timing of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's return, but also over whether they would come back at all, given their respective injuries.
"Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will go down in the rankings anyway," Davydenko continued. "They are not playing at all at the moment. I don’t know if they'll come to the court at all. We are talking about those who are now injured. We do not know when they will come out - we have to ask them."
"Roger Federer is trying to prove to himself or to someone that he can still win something at the age of 40" - Nikolay Davydenko
A contemporary of Roger Federer, Nikolay Davydenko retired from professional tennis in 2014. During the interview the Russian lauded Federer for his longevity, but expressed skepticism about his chances of making a comeback at 40 years of age.
"Roger Federer has already done everything, reached such heights," Davydenko said. "He is trying to prove to himself or to someone that he can still win something at the age of 40. But I don’t know what kind of medicines - and medicines are needed for the body to support it and at 40 to be like at 20."
Nikolay Davydenko, who himself struggled with injuries at the back end of his career, also commented on the toll that Roger Federer's body has taken through the years of tennis he has played.
"The difference is big, the body is exhausted, he played so much, moved so much," the Russian said. "To do this at 40, you cannot win purely by tennis alone."
Davydenko further recalled his meeting with Federer a couple of years ago, where he asked the Swiss maestro about his back.
"A couple of years ago I met with him in Shanghai," Davydenko said. "I asked: 'What is holding your back?' He says: 'Thank God, physics still withstands. The body is trying, if not for the fitness trainer, I would have broken down long ago.'"