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Nadal says “a part of his life was gone” when Federer retired

(CNN) — Rafael Nadal admitted that “a part of his life left” with Roger Federer when his great rival retired from tennis, and both players left an emotional shock on the court after the Swiss played his last competitive match in September in the Cup. wash.

The two, who between them have won 42 Grand Slam singles titles, joined forces in a doubles match for Federer’s swan song at the Laver Cup in London.

Following the final of that match, images of both players crying as they sat next to each other during the subsequent ceremony went viral.

“Someone whom I have admired, with whom I have rivaled and also shared a lot of beautiful things on and off the pitch was leaving,” Nadal told reporters before an exhibition match in Argentina.

“In that sense, all those moments, those feelings that you have before playing a Grand Slam final, of an important tournament, everything that was in the air before those matches. It was different from other parties.

“You know you’re not going to live that again and a part of my life went with him [cuando se retiró]. It was also the emotion of saying goodbye to someone who has been so important to our sport.”

The pair met 40 times over the past two decades in one of the longest-running rivalries in the sport, with the Spaniard leading head-to-head 24-16.

Nadal was overcome with emotion in the Laver Cup when Federer withdrew.

After suffering a series of injuries and ailments in recent years, Nadal’s own future in the sport also remains up in the air despite the fact that he won the first two Grand Slams of the season.

He followed up his Australian Open triumph by capturing a 14th French Open title, a record he extended in June, despite requiring multiple injections to numb the pain in his left foot.

An abdominal injury forced the 36-year-old Spaniard to withdraw from Wimbledon ahead of his semi-final matchup with Nick Kyrgios.

While he did not elaborate on his own retirement plans, Nadal said: “My time will come when it has to. I am quite prepared for my next life outside of tennis.”

“I don’t think it will be a problem for me beyond what will be an adaptation to the changes. My life has things as important or more important than tennis, ”she assured.

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