Federer: 'I had a hard time because Nadal hit his left hand'

"I have the hardest time playing against Nadal," Federer said on August 4, during a visit to a tennis club in New York to film a series for sponsor Uniqlo. "Because he plays left-handed and hits a high-spin topspin. Nobody wants to play against a left-handed player."

During his playing days, Federer had a beautiful one-handed backhand, but this shot didn't work against Nadal's topspin forehands. During his career, Federer played against the "King of Clay" 40 times, and won only 16 of them. "Express train" won only two matches against Nadal on clay, in Hamburg in 2007 and Madrid in 2009. The last match in Federer's career took place in September 2022 at the Laver Cup, when he played doubles with the main team. Nadal.

"We're pretty close right now," Federer added of his relationship with Nadal. "I watched him grow up. Our family, our team also get along well. We now talk about many things in life, not only tennis. I hope he can come back strong. once again".

Nadal is still recovering from a hip injury from the beginning of the year and will be out for the rest of the season. He once announced his plan to retire in 2024, after consecutive injuries.

Ivan Ljubicic, Federer's coach at the end of his career, confirmed the Swiss player's friendship with rival Spain. "Initially, Federer and Nadal had a lot of respect for each other," said the Croatia strategist. "Over time, they share special moments together and feel on the same frequency. They call each other to ask about something when they need it. It's great that they have such a good relationship." .