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Rafael Nadal admitted that “a part of his life left” with Roger Federer when the Swiss retired from tennis, with both players left emotional wrecks on the court after the Swiss played his final competitive match in September at the Laver Cup.
The two, who have won 42 Grand Slam singles titles between them, teamed up in a doubles match for Federer’s final match at the Laver Cup in London.
Images of both players crying as they sat side by side during the post-match ceremony went viral after the match.
“Someone I have admired, who I have rivalled and also I have shared many beautiful things on and off the court was leaving,” Nadal told reporters ahead of an exhibition match in Argentina.
“In that sense, all those moments, those feelings you have before playing a final of a Grand Slam, of an important tournament, everything that was in the air before those matches. It was different from other matches.”
“You know you’re not going to live that again and a part of my life left with him (when he retired). It was also the emotion of saying goodbye to someone who has been so important to our sport.”
The 36-year-old Spaniard was forced to withdraw from Wimbledon ahead of his semi-final match against Nick Kyrgios due to an abdominal injury.
While he did not go into detail about his own retirement plans, Nadal did say, “My time will come when it has to come.”
“I’m quite prepared for my next life outside tennis.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem for me beyond what will be an adaptation to the changes. My life has things equally or more important than tennis.”
Nadal is on a South and Central American exhibition tour with Norwegian Casper Ruud.
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