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"He's like a tiger in a cage" says Roger Federer on personality of career rival Rafael Nadal, lauds 'incredible intensity'
ATPMonday, 16 October 2023 at 22:30
Roger Federer spoke about the personality of his great rival, Rafael Nadal, and compared him to a "tiger in a cage" on the tennis court.
The Federer-Nadal rivalry is one of the most epic in the history of tennis, and for many, it's the most important in the sport. These two players shared the elite ranks of the tennis world for over 15 years and faced each other 40 times, providing fans with memorable battles that resulted in a record of 24-16 in favor of Nadal.
Federer participated in the ATP Tennis Radio Podcast, where he discussed his experiences as a friend and rival of the 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal. He also pointed out similarities in their personalities:
"I don’t know Rafa [Nadal] enough off-site, but he’s like a tiger in the cage whenever I see him at the courts and I feel I’m very relaxed on and off-site. He has incredible intensity, he’s always warming up, he’s always going around and there’s always much stuff to do for him and he’s preparing and you can feel like there’s always a match on his mind," he said.
"I don’t know if we’re so opposite you know. But yeah, I guess, to some extent, I’m may be more calm more relaxed whereas he goes, especially through the tennis days in a more intense way when he’s on-site," the 42-year-old added.
The Swiss tennis legend also emphasized the importance of athletes being able to mentally disconnect and rest during periods of inactivity on the ATP Tour to maintain a long and successful career.
"I’m sure that when it’s all over, every player finds a way to unwind because if you don’t, you can’t exist on the tour for as long as it lasts. It’s a tough tour and you have got to find ways to relax," 20-times Grand Slam champion added.
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