Becker believes Federer's potential retirement will affect Nadal: "They have fed off each other, but now everything is different"

Boris Becker believes the retirement of Roger Federer will affect Rafael Nadal and his career.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal had a longstanding rivalry which turned into an off-court friendship. The duo has deep respect for one another and has pushed each other to extreme levels of sportsmanship and competitiveness. Asked about the dynamic between the two Becker said they fed off each other:

"Roger and Rafa have fed each other, but now everything is different. It will be interesting to watch his performance when he returns to Washington DC next month. There are many guys who are on the launch pad and who are ten years younger. The situation sees Novak Djokovic at the head of the pack, but the ranks of heirs behind him are getting wider and wider."

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Becker also believes that Roger Federer's retirement will deeply affect Rafael Nadal and his career. Becker would not elaborate in which sense but he offered his opinion on when a potential retirement might come:

"I think that his intention was to play again next year, but I doubt that will happen."

What do you think? Will Roger Federer retire in 2021 or will he come back to play in 2022? Tell us below.