"Roger Federer wanted to say 'goodbye', it happened in three days": Retirement reality for Rafael Nadal close says Andy Roddick
ATPFriday, 12 April 2024 at 10:20
Former world number one Andy Roddick believes that Spain’s legendary
tennis player Rafael Nadal is edging closer to his retirement days, similar to
what was experienced by Switzerland’s Roger Federer in his last days as a
professional tennis player.
Nadal is often regarded as one of three greatest players — along
with Federer and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic — in the history of men’s tennis in
the singles category, having won as many as 22 Grand Slam titles.
Nadal has recently returned to professional tennis at
the start of the year after spending a lengthy spell on the sidelines because
of a knee injury. However, his return did not go as planned as the former
world number one has been out of action ever since taking part in the Brisbane
International.
He recently opted out of the ongoing Monte-Carlo Masters as
well in order to continue his rehab. Roddick was recently quoted in a report
where he compared Federer’s last days with Nadal and suggested that he is on
his way to retirement just like the Switzerland’s legendary player did.
"I have this hope in the back of my mind that he’s
gonna get healthy and he doesn’t need to be healthy for 52 weeks, he needs to
be healthy for two months,” he said. “Like, just burn it, go all of it, take
all of the painkillers that you need to take, and let’s do one more.
Rafael Nadal continues his recovery ahead of the Barcelona Open
"I always kind of thought we were going to have some
version of that, maybe not winning but imagine him winning third round at
Roland Garros, a tough four-setter, the place falls apart like… I want that for
him.
"Roger retired at Laver Cup, he probably wouldn’t say
this out loud, but Roger wanted to retire at Wimbledon or US Open. He wanted to
play those. He wanted to do that, he wanted to say ‘goodbye’, it happened in
three days as opposed to three months. It feels like we're getting closer to
that being reality for Rafa.”
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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