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For the first time since 1999, we will see a Grand Slam tournament, the US Open 2020, without Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The Swiss champion, who has only played in the Australian Open this year, has undergone two surgeries on his right knee that will keep him in the pits until the start of next season.
The Spaniard, on the other hand, gave up on defending the title he won in New York in 2019, having the Roland Garros as his clear goal, scheduled for the end of September. In the event of a 13th win in Paris, the former world number 1 would equal Federer's record of 20 slams.
Fans are quite skeptical about the real chances that Roger will return to the highest level at almost 40, but the Swiss has already accustomed us to completely unexpected exploits (like the Australian Open 2017). In a recent interview with GQ magazine, Nadal revealed that Federer's choices have nothing to do with him.
Nadal: "Federer loves playing tennis"
“I really don't think Roger continues to play tennis for me or anyone else. He continues to play tennis because he likes sports and because he loves playing tennis. For this simple reason, there is a huge passion above everything else.
He maintains the same approach he had several years ago ”- explained the 19-time Grand Slam champion. After the forfeit at the US Open, Nadal did not specify when he will return to the field. “I don't intend to make a decision right now, I'm waiting to see how things evolve.
I will only make a decision after speaking with my family and my team. We will make the most appropriate decision. I'm not one of those people who fear the end, I respect it, but I don't fear it. When the conclusion comes, it will be time to accept it and to continue looking for motivations in life ”- specified the twelve-time Roland Garros champion.
Rafa's presence at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia (where he appears in the entry list) is still uncertain. Meanwhile out at the ATP Masters 1000 Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Gael Monfils, Fabio Fognini, Stan Wawrinka, Nick Kyrgios, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Lucas Pouille, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Jarry, Ashleigh Barty, Simona Halep, Elina Svitolina, Andreescu, Kiki Bertens, Belinda Bencic, Wang Qiang, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Saisai Zheng, Julia Goerges, Barbora Strycova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Fiona Ferro , Lin Zhu, Yafan Wang, Anastasia Potapanova and Samantha Stosur.