Rafael Nadal admits to ‘suffering’ watching Federer lose against Djokovic at Wimbledon 2019 Finals, says “It was hard”
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World No.2 Rafael Nadal shared the emotions he felt during the Wimbledon final where his pal and rival, Roger Federer was outdone by Novak Djokovic. Djokovic downed Federer in a match which will surely go down as a classic in tennis history. The 20-time Grand Slam champion had 2 championship points on his racquet, but failed to convert them. Federer was overcome with 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12 in a world-class produced by him and his adversary.
En route to his appearance at the Wimbledon 2019 final, the Swiss Maestro clashed against Rafa in the semi-final. Federer won this battle against the Spaniard 6-7, 6-1, 3-6, 4-6. However, Nadal wasn’t bitter about the loss. In fact, he praised Roger after their match. In the same vein, he stated, “Well deserved win.” Moreover, Nadal admitted that his opponent played better and wished him the best for the final. He said, “I had my chances but… Roger played better. Good luck for the final.”
Nadal reflects on the Wimbledon 2019 result and Roger’s loss
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s respect for one another is no secret. The duo have congratulated each other on countless occasions. Most recently, Rafa lifted his 20th Grand Slam title with his Roland Garros 2020 win and tied Roger’s record. To this, Federer graciously welcomed Rafa to the post he solely occupied upto that point. He said, “I hope 20 is just another step on the continuing journey for both of us.”
The camaraderie between these champions is one for the ages. In a recent interview with La Resistencia, Rafa spoke about his immediate feelings following Federer’s loss. When asked if he suffered watching Federer lose, he said “In that moment I did. It was a hard loss.”
Nadal didn’t outright mention who he rooted for, but commended the athletes and called it a “great match.”
Rafa pointed out how Federer managed to draw sets from Djokovic easily. According to him, the Serbian had to put in a lot of effort to win a single set. This can be inferred by Novak’s 3 sets coming from his wins in tie-breaks. Nadal continued, “I think this final was very exciting. And we all thought Federer had won in that 40-15,” referring to the 2 championship points Federer didn’t convert.
Even though the 3 speak highly of each other, the trio are tough competitors. The Big 3 continue to produce classics and the race amongst them is getting closer and tighter than it has ever been.
Also Read: ‘Roger Federer recovers faster than Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal’ reveals Murray’s strength coach
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Chhavi Jindal
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