Federer hints at possible Nadal withdrawal

Aurélie Sacchelli, Media365, published on Monday, May 08, 2023 at 3:54 p.m.

On the sidelines of the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Miami on Sunday, Roger Federer was asked about a possible absence of Rafael Nadal at Roland-Garros.

Retired from the courts for just over seven months, Roger Federer is enjoying life, and after taking part in the prestigious Met Gala on May 1 in New York, then attending the NBA game between the Knicks and the Heat on Tuesday, the Swiss took the management of Miami, with his wife and four children, to follow the Formula 1 Grand Prix which was held this Sunday, and which saw the victory of the double world champion Max Verstappen. The man with 20 Grand Slam titles was interviewed by Sky Sports on his friend and former rival Rafael Nadal, who hasn’t played since the Australian Open in January due to a hip injury and remains doubtful for Roland Garros, which starts in less than three weeks . “It would be awful. It would be hard for tennis if Rafa was missing. I still hope he can be there. I saw that he retired from Roma, so I wish him the best.” Roger Federer also had a word for Novak Djokovic, who suffered an elbow injury and who withdrew from the Masters 1000 in Madrid, but who should be present in Roma: “Novak hasn’t played much either, so I hope he will be strong. So I hope he will perform as well. And then there are also all the young people who arrive. I’ll be careful, that’s for sure.”

Nadal 14th in the world this week

Winner of 14 of the last 18 Roland-Garros (only Stan Wawrinka in 2015, Roger Federer in 2009 and Novak Djokovic in 2016 and 2021 managed to lift the Mousquetaires Cup), Rafael Nadal could well miss the tournament for the first time since 2004 , which would be an earthquake on the scale of the Parisian tournament. Now ranked 14th in the world and guaranteed to lose the 90 points of his round of 16 in Rome in 2022 in the next ranking, Rafael Nadal has no tournament scheduled with Roland-Garros. He still has the possibility of playing in Lyon or Geneva the week of May 22, or even at the Challengers in Bordeaux or Turin next week. if he does not want to arrive in Paris without a match on clay in his legs. But will he already be able to come to Paris?