Roger Federer angrily hits back at accusations he’s avoiding Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer has hit back at critics who claim he is managing his schedule to avoid facing Rafael Nadal.
36-year-old Federer has routinely skipped clay court season in recent years – Nadal’s favoured surface – and this week also pulled out of the Rogers Cup just as Nadal confirmed he’ll play.
That has led to some asking the question of whether Federer simply doesn’t have the stomach anymore for battles with Nadal, including our own Michael Graham.
However, the 20-time Grand Slam winner says it’s about winning, not rivalry.
“For me, it’s about something more than clashes with Nadal: it means health and tennis enjoyment.
“The main goal is to win titles: that’s why numbers and records are secondary.
“It depends a lot also on what numbers. It’s very special to be there personally in the history of my favorite sport.
“As a kid, I would never think that I would be in the book’s records.
“The goal was to be the best as possible, hoping to be on the biggest stages of the world, maybe meeting my idol.
“And yes, lifting a trophy on the air. But not to reach those numbers! That was (in) someway impossible for me.
“That’s why my joy in tennis is still so big. Because inside, I always stayed on the ground, I know it: it’s not normal, it’s not reality.
“But I accept it and I take it as a challenge to defend my titles or lift some trophies.”
Latest
-
Tennis News
Kyle Edmund forced to withdraw from Australian Open due to long-standing knee problem
Kyle Edmund won’t feature at the 2021 Australian Open.
-
Australian Open
Rafael Nadal finding it ‘tough’ to ‘solve’ the Novak Djokovic puzzle on Australian Open hard courts
Nadal yet to find game plan to beat Djokovic in Melbourne.
-
Tennis News
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal backed to continue their dominance of men’s tennis in 2021
No changes at the top expected.
-
Australian Open
Simona Halep prepared for ‘mental’ challenges that daunting Australian Open quarantine period poses
Halep all set for quarantine period.
-
Australian Open
French star hits out at extra privileges given to Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams
Jeremy Chardy unimpressed.
-
Tennis News
Britain’s Heather Watson beaten in Abu Dhabi as the world No.1 also crashes out
Heather Watson exits Abu Dhabi Open.
-
Australian Open
Quarantine plan revealed for the game’s top players ahead of Australian Open
Players will quarantine in Adelaide.
-
Tennis News
Rising star provisionally suspended from all tennis activity following a positive doping test
Dayana Yastremska has been provisionally suspended.
-
Tennis News
Is this the real reason why Roger Federer is skipping next month’s Australian Open?
Other reasons in play for Roger Federer’s AO absence.