Rafael Nadal: 'I was excited to keep Roger Federer's shirt'

2020 was a positive year for Rafael Nadal, who clinched his 13th Roland Garros title without giving up a single set along the way. Yet another triumph in the French capital also allowed the former world number 1 to equal the 20 Grand Slam record of eternal rival Roger Federer, crowning a very long chase. The Swiss phenomenon has been virtually absent this season, having had to deal with a double operation on his right knee immediately after the Australian Open. The 39-year-old from Basel had set out to return to the field at the beginning of 2021, but - at the Laureus Awards ceremony just over a week ago - he admitted that he was still far from 100% form. Nadal and Djokovic will once again be the men to beat in Melbourne in less than two months. In a long interview during the 'Alvarez Cafe' show, Nadal also touched on the subject of retirement and explained why he does not live in fear of that moment.

Nadal recalls an incident from the 2007 Hamburg Open

"I think I'm still looking forward and wanting to move on, but without any fear of that day coming," Rafael Nadal said. "I have many things in life that make me happy outside of tennis and that takes away the tension of not wanting that day to come. I take it naturally. It is true that I have had many problems during my career, but it is also true that I have always succeeded," Nadal went on. "Sometimes it has cost more, other times less, but the medical, tennis and mental solution has always been found." Rafael Nadal also recalled an incident from the 2007 Hamburg Open, where he asked Roger Federer for his T-shirt after the Swiss snapped his streak of 81 consecutive wins on clay. "I lost the final in Hamburg (2007) and had 81 straight games without losing on clay," Nadal said. "It was the historical record, above (Guillermo) Vilas. That day I lost. and I was excited to keep Federer's shirt after losing. I have it saved and I'm excited to have it up on my museum." At an award show in Switzerland recently, Federer said that his recovery from a second knee surgery is still a work in progress and he could be facing a tight race to fitness even if the Australian Open is pushed back. The start date of the event has since been postponed from January 19th to February 8th.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/34xI2gg