Swiss Roger Federer said he was “very happy” to be able to call Rafael Nadal “anytime” and talk to him “anything” and that he hopes to advise him on his future fatherhood. The Swiss spoke extensively about the relationship that united him with the Spanish tennis player At the press conference after the doubles match, in which both players played in the Laver Cup and ended his Swiss career.
“We’ve been very connected, especially over the last ten years. I think since I’ve had kids. I don’t know if that helped me or changed me in any way or that our rivalry has improved. I have no idea.” Federer said. “Where our relationship is today, I’m so happy that I can call Rafa and talk about everything. I think she feels the same way. It was also special that Rafa’s family was here these days., because it just shows you that Rafa didn’t come to play and that nobody on his team cares. I can feel his passion for me as a human being.”
“This is very important. I think he feels the same way when he sees my parents, my children, my wife. It’s a beautiful thing. I hope the same thing happens to his future children. time we must do our best. We enjoy each other’s company and have many memories, but we also love spending time together.. Whenever we spend an afternoon together, I feel like we don’t have time”, reflected Helvetian.
Nadal: “I couldn’t miss today”
The Spaniard showed his support for Federer and said that although he had “complex weeks” on a personal level, he couldn’t miss it. “It’s been exciting, memorable, sad too. It’s hard to describe, it was a lot of emotion, but in the end it was a very special, memorable day and something for everyone in the end. There’s a beginning and an end,” Nadal told Spanish media. ” said.
“After many difficult moments that I know have happened lately, Roger’s could say goodbye on the wayHe knew, personally, that it was difficult for him to go as he was. I’m happy that he said goodbye, I’m happy that he got his deserved moment on the track in front of so many people and that the world can see him saying goodbye on the track, for me it’s something he really deserves. no doubt. “Someone who is an icon and one of the most important icons in the history of sports in general is leaving,” he added.
The Spaniard was very excited after the match and She burst into tears in the bench next to FedererShe couldn’t hold back her tears either. “I’m a pretty sensitive person. I don’t worry about -crying either. Crying is good sometimes. You need to let go of those feelings. Part of my life is gone, so it’s hard.”
Nadal, who expects her first child to be born in the coming weeks, said they had “hard weeks” with little sleep. “Hard weeks, a few hours of sleep, a bit of stress in general. A little more complicated than usual at home. I had to deal with a different kind of pressure professionally than you’re used to. Fortunately everything is fine. well, much calmer and in that sense I was able to come here, which That was important to me.”
“It was important to me because I knew how important he was to him. I’ve had a pretty close personal relationship for a long time. Being on the Players Council also means we have to talk about everything weekly and eventually. I’m still not retired but I know that when you’ve been injured for a long time, you don’t see the end, it’s frustrating and in that sense it’s been a hard time for him, it’s taking a long time to recover. time, a lot of mental effort and you realize you didn’t get to the end. It was very important for him to retire on the track and I couldn’t miss this day. And here I was, beyond the world inside my personal circumstances”.
The Spaniard, who hasn’t competed since falling against Frances Tiafoe in the round of 16 of the US Open, will not play any more matches in this Laver Cup. “I’m not fine. I won’t play. I won’t go away… I have to go back to the room and think. Infighting and I can’t answer you right now. In all these moments of excitement I will go back to my room and see what I have to do.
Nadal also talked about whether his friend’s retirement has made him think about what he would like his retirement to be like in the future. “I don’t know, I’m not at that moment yet. I was close to that moment this year, I won’t lie to you. During Roland Garros I thought this might be my last tournament, this is my last tournament.” I broke my stomach twice at Wimbledon and New York even though things went really bad physically from there. Adding to all this personal stuff was a series of major misfortunes. But I’m not at the moment and I’m doing it. I don’t want to think about that moment. What I want today is to go back to normal, that everything goes well on a personal level, which is the highest priority, and then to organize my life properly. personal and professional life”.
As a result, Nadal leaves a glimmer of hope that he will be seen on the track again with Federer, when he overcame the physical problems that kept him out of the competition for fourteen months. “I’m sure we’ll be back on the track to play together,” added the Manacor player.