Roger Federer recently shared his worries about Rafael Nadal‘s health during the 2024 Bastad Open.
Their rivalry spans decades, with both holding the world number one spot at different times. Federer has spent 310 weeks as No. 1, second only to Novak Djokovic, while Nadal boasts two more Grand Slam titles than Federer’s 20.
Despite nearing retirement, Nadal pushed himself to compete in Bastad after a long absence. He played his sixth tournament of an injury-filled season and reached the final after a grueling week, including a nearly four-hour quarterfinal match against Mariano Navone.
Federer’s Concerns:
Federer kept an eye on Nadal’s progress but missed the final match where Nadal lost to Nuno Borges in straight sets. Upon hearing the result, Federer expressed concern over Nadal’s physical condition given the lopsided scoreline.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
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“He lost? Oh, come on. Three and two (the scoreline) Oh, God. Yeah, I saw he was down 1-0, love-40. That’s the last time I checked, a few hours ago, but when I saw the score, I was like, ‘Oh no—I hope his body is okay.'”
Fans might feel that Federer’s worry shows how much he still cares about his old rival.
Two years into retirement, Federer remains actively involved in tennis as a fan and checks scores daily to stay updated on new talents in men’s tennis. He also plays a significant role behind the scenes of the Laver Cup and has been promoting his new documentary “Twelve Finals Days,” which details his retirement journey.
“So yeah — I do check in with the game almost daily to see scores and results. Watching is a whole different thing — I love watching it when it’s on TV. We’ve been watching a ton of football as well — the Euros and now the Olympics are coming up so I’m going to watch all of that. I’m a big sports fan.”
“But especially in the evening when the day unwinds and I have time to sit back and maybe go on YouTube and watch some highlights; I tend to do that. I like to be up to speed on what’s going on because these guys play nice and I like seeing what they’re doing.”
Earlier this year, Federer and Nadal teamed up for a Louis Vuitton campaign in Italy’s Dolomites region. They will meet again at next year’s Laver Cup in Berlin where Nadal will play for Team Europe.
What do you think about Federer’s concerns?
