Watch Rafael Nadal’s press conference after his victory against Roger Federer in the semi-finals of Roland Garros 2019.
When asked if he thought it would be the last time he would play Roger Federer at Roland Garros, Rafa said:
It’s a logical reality, because years are going by. We all have our small problems. We all have our age, which is increasing. I hope that it was not the last time yet. And I believe that him and I appreciate such matches. We live them with particular emotion after all that we have shared on the court. And it’s true that we are getting older, but at the same time, we are still in the semi-finals of the French Open. So if we are here, we don’t think about retiring.
There are no two people like Federer on this planet. Luckily, actually… We have played many times against each other. But these are matches where we can always find this small plus, this additional shot. And when I play against Roger, I always expect the best from him and I prepare myself accordingly to respond in the best way I can to his tennis.
Sources: ATP Tour, Roland Garros
So happy to see you playing ,hoping you want to continue for many years, Rafa congratulations 🍾🎈🎊 good luck in the finals 💪💪💪❤️❤️❤️🎾🎾🎾😘😘😘🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
He is my greatest hero,we always supported Rafa Nadal vamos🙌💟😇🌹👍
Champions – Yes
Competitors -Yes
Respect for each other – without a doubt
RAFAMAZING ROCKS
Roger on Nadal:
“He makes you feel uncomfortable, the way he defends the court and plays on clay,” Federer said afterward. “There is nobody who even plays remotely close to him.”
Federer confessed that he was so stymied by Nadal’s heavy strokes and relentless retrieval skills that his mind wandered, at one point during the match, to the fact that it was impossible to find a similar left-handed sparring partner to help him practice and prepare for matches against the Spaniard because he was such an outlier.”
[SOURCE: The Washington Post, June 7, 2019]
I had to crack a smile while imagining Roger thinking, as he is being pummeled by Rafa, about his search for that one non-existent sparring partner to help him solve the “Rafa problem.”
RAFAMAZING AMAZES
Margo,
Honestly, Margo, Rafa should retire and marry off Xisca should he win against an exhausted Dominic Thiem tomorrow. He shouldn’t hope to chase after RF’s 20 GSlams.
But, as always, we;d see……cheers
Rafamazing vamoses!!!!!
Aawwww, you missed his interview. He has no intention of retiring, at the moment.
RAFAMAZING ROCKS
Bravo Rafa! Me encanta verte jugar! Tes lo máximo !
It was a shame about the weather, but I loved the way they both just got on with it – as opposed to Nole, who whinged and moaned! I wish they could both play on for ever!
Correct. My thoughts too. They played like a man,not complaining like Djokovic. Tired of the favoritism he got from organizers all the time…Paris this year,London last year….he will use everything…to win…He can finish with more GS maybe and he is incredible tennis player, but never will be a legend like Fedal
Right on! I can’t agree more……..Djokovic will never get the same love like Fedal no matter how many slams he ends up winning. (Outdoor tournament with a roof closed on a sunny day, what a joke?)
I only remember he loves to smash his racquet when things don’t go his way lol
Lovely words <3
We always love Rafael Nadal hes a good man with a golden heart!😇🙌💟🌹👍
We appreciate his thoughtful responses. They are measured, respectful, and fully aware of who they are, and the history between them. Every match is special-indeed, worthy opponents.🙏💕every time a journalist broaches the “r” topic, we are protesting, “Not yet……….”. the final-vamos.🍀
So glad you want to keep on playing. Hoping you want to continue for many years. Enjoying watching you having another great year.
Dear Namesake,
He should retire ONLY IF he wins tomorrow.
If he listens to people like you and stubbornly still continues playing, then his glorious record at Roland Garross will one day be rubbished. He would one day be defeated in the RF Final where he has never ever been beaten.
He should follow the illustrious footsteps of Rocky Marciano, the legendary boxing icon, who retired undefeated with a 48- 0 unbeatable record (45 of the 48 were by TKOs).
Rafa should retire honorably while the ovation is loudest and his records are still intact.
But as always, Mary, we’d see………cheers
Rafamazing simply vamosssssses!!!!
maria shallow creature or snake island why don’t you honourably get lost from this site
Rafa has talked about when he will retire several times and it’s nothing to do with records or achievements. Most clearly he said “if I am #1 and unhappy playing tennis I will retire and do another thing. If I’m #100 and happy I’ll keep going.” It’s about happiness. For now playing tennis makes him happy. Improving his tennis makes him very happy. Being injured makes him very unhappy until he recovers. So it’s a matter of when his mind and body finally tell him, “I can’t do this any more.” His uncle Miguel Angel has told him “Your head will tell you when you should retire.” In the meanwhile Rafa will wring every last drop of happiness he can from his magnificent career and if that means plowing through the hard times he’ll do that.
As for competing to get more slams than Roger, Rafa said “I should want more because someone else has more? Should I want a bigger house because someone else has one? Or more money because someone has more? That’s no way to live life!” Well, there ARE people who do live life like that. Rafa is not one of them.
Es un honor teneros en el circuito… Jugadores como vosotros deberian existir siempre sin envejecer… Sois como el vino bueno cuantos mas años pasan mas calidad tiene…
Rafa tu conforme pasa el tiempo tu juego tiene mas calidad.. ADELANTE RAFA!!!!…