“I hear you Rafa” Martina Navratilova rallies with Rafael Nadal over the impact Roger Federer’s retirement had on his life
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Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Martina Navratilova
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova recently reacted to Rafael Nadal’s comments about Roger Federer’s emotional retirement in London. Federer, 41, retired from professional tennis a couple of months ago at the Laver Cup after trying every possible medical treatment to come back.
Federer played his last match alongside his greatest rival and friend, Nadal which they lost in three sets. What followed after the match was a range of emotions no one was ready for. Federer sobbed like a baby while Nadal, unexpectedly, wept his heart out seeing his greatest rival retire.
Currently touring Latin America for a series of exhibition matches, Nadal recalled Federer’s retirement and mentioned that “a part of his life left” when Federer retired. “Someone I have admired, who I have rivaled and also I have shared many beautiful things on and off the court was leaving,” Nadal told the media ahead of an exhibition match in Argentina.
Martina Navratilova picked on these quotes from Rafa and rallied his opinion on social media. “I hear you Rafa…” she tweeted indicating that Rafa isn’t the only person who felt that and also acknowledged his feelings.
Rafael Nadal recalls Roger Federer’s emotional retirement day
Speaking in Argentina, Nadal said that the feelings he had before playing Federer in a big match was something he never felt with other players. He added that with Federer’s retirement, a part of him has left. Nadal said that it was very emotional to say goodbye to someone who has been so important to tennis.
“In that sense, all those moments, those feelings you have before playing a final of a Grand Slam, of an important tournament, everything that was in the air before those matches. It was different from other matches. You know you’re not going to live that again and a part of my life left with him (when he retired). It was also the emotion of saying goodbye to someone who has been so important to our sport,” he added.
Nadal will begin his 2023 season in Australia and will have a mammoth challenge ahead in defending his Australian Open crown with Novak Djokovic playing the tournament.
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Lakshya Chopra
(2595 Articles Published)