'Roger Federer has a less physical game but...', says French ace

Since Wimbledon 2003, won by Roger Federer, at Roland Garros 2020 with the triumph of Rafael Nadal, 69 Slams have been played, including the two aforementioned tournaments: 57 of them have been won by the "big-three", with Novak Djokovic who soon became added to the domain of the two champions above. An unrepeatable era, record after record that saw in Nadal's 13th Roland Garros another epic feat, something unimaginable and which for many is the greatest feat in the history of all sports. In between there have been at least two generations of tennis players unable to scratch the excessive power of the three. Federer recently declared that he had begun a "serious" physical preparation in view of 2021: we will therefore see him on the field at the Australian Open in January and in the summer in Tokyo, in search of that Olympic gold that has always eluded him. Who knows if next year is not really one of greetings. Richard Gasquet & Benoit Paire recently spoke on Twitch about the longevity of Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal. Gasquet said he is especially impressed with Federer, who has been at the top of the sport since 2003.

Gasquet and Paire on the Big 3

"What impresses me the most with the best players is that they manage to keep their motivation, every tournament and every week," Richard Gasquet said. The Frenchman then went on to say that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal play even better now than they did at the beginning of their careers. Gasquet explained how the two have retained their edge over the rest of the tour by changing their game over the years. "How gifted they are but that they are, (they are) better at tennis at 33, 34 years of age than they were at 20. When you compare 2005 Rafael Nadal with his current self at Roland Garros, it feels like a different player. He plays twice as fast now and strikes the ball earlier," Gasquet said. "Same with Roger Federer, you couldn't really say that his backhand was great when he was younger, but now he just doesn't miss with it. We keep saying he has a less physical game but he plays the same sport, with the same effort, he just doesn't show it," Gasquet said. Benoit Paire echoed Gasquet's sentiment in his praise for the Big 3. "Obviously they were all very gifted from the start. But what is really impressive is how they manage to stay motivated, every week and for every tournament. They rarely lose first rounds or throw away matches. Despite having won 10, 20 GS each, their motivation remains intact," Paire said. "Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have been winning every tourney for years but they still want it. They're great champions in every way, Djokovic as well with his serve and other things. They kept on improving," Paire added.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/35XboEY