Nadal: don’t write off Federer just yet

 

Originally published on: 06/10/10 10:02

World No.1 Rafael Nadal insists that Roger Federer‘s legacy has not yet run it’s course, and backed the Swiss to add to his record haul of 16 Grand Slam titles.

“He won at the Australian Open and won in Cincinnati, so it’s a good year for him,” Nadal told reporters at this week’s Japan Open.

“It’s very difficult to always be 100 percent and what Federer did the last seven or eight years is almost impossible to repeat. It’s unbelievable.”

Nadal matched Federer in winning all four Grand Slam crowns with victory at last month’s US Open, his ninth major title and third in succession following victories at Wimbledon and Roland Garros this summer.

But the Spaniard warned that it was far too early to write off Federer, who has won 63 career titles but has slipped to third in the world rankings behind Novak Djokovic.

“Of course he is going to challenge to win the big tournaments,” said Nadal. “His game is still at a very high level.”

The Spaniard and Swiss, good friends off court, are two of only seven men to have completed a career grand slam, and the Spaniard paid credit to the Swiss maestro.

“It’s very difficult to always be at the top,” he said. “What he did is very, very difficult.”

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