Roger Federer has spoken in praise of his rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in a recent interview where he also analysed the return of Nadal to the sport in 2024 who will aim for a swansong.
One that Federer had at the 2022 Laver Cup where he teamed with his now good friend, Rafael Nadal to play one last time and also reunited with Djokovic and Andy Murray as the Big Four had one last send off for the Swiss great.
Speaks glowingly about Djokovic and Nadal
Djokovic ironically said that they are not friends now, but that he could soften his stance when his career ends, but at least in Federer's mind, he sees Djokovic and Nadal as holding great memories and people he speaks about in glowing terms.
As well as hoping Nadal's return to the court goes well, he is also hoping for similar continued good displays from Djokovic.
“I was really happy and fortunate to be playing against them almost 40 to 50 times each. So I have a lot of memories from a lot of great matches, battles. I’ve answered questions about them so so many times and I can only say the best things about them.”
“It’s been great to share the court with them for so many years and I hope that Rafa can come back very strong next year,” continued Federer. “And I hope that Novak can keep on playing as long as he wants because it’s just really good for the game to have these guys still in the game.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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