Tennis legend Roger Federer said on Monday he hoped Rafael Nadal would recover in time for Roland Garros, and that it would be a "cruel" blow to tennis if the 14-time champion was absent this year.
Nadal is dealing with a hip injury sustained at the Australian Open in January, and fears that the Spaniard could miss the Grand Slam in Paris grew after he decided not to participate in the Masters in Rome this week.
"It will be cruel, it will be difficult for tennis if Rafa is not there," Federer, who won 20 Grand Slam titles, told Sky Sports on Sunday at the F1 Grand Prix in Miami. "Obviously Novak Djokovic hasn't competed much this season, so hopefully he'll be strong. I believe all the young guys will give theirs," added Federer, who retired from tennis last year.
After sustaining an injury against Mackenzie McDonald in Australia, Nadal's doctors thought he would stay out for six to eight weeks – and 15 had already passed. He himself admitted two months ago that he had no idea when he would return, and in his retirement announcement from the Monte Carlo tournament he wrote: "I don't have enough confidence to play the way I want to."
La familia Federer. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/7L4vu7w2o8
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