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‘Nadal and Federer losses are harrowing’ declares legendary coach


A great of the sport believes that the most recent defeats for Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal throw up much uncertainty for their futures.

The ‘King of Clay’ and the Swiss maestro both played their most recent matches at their respective favourite Grand Slams.

Nadal lost his Roland Garros semi-final to eventual champion Novak Djokovic, while Federer went out of Wimbledon in the quarter-finals with a straight sets defeat to Hubert Hurkacz.

Toni Nadal, uncle and former coach to Rafa, acknowledged the significance of such results.

“It is clear that for both Roger [Federer] and Rafael [Nadal], their respective defeats at Wimbledon and Roland Garros are somewhat more harrowing than in any other setting,” the Spaniard wrote in his El Pais column.

“And, hence the tone of the Swiss in the press conference that followed the match against the Pole Hubert Hurkacz, who not only eliminated him from [Wimbledon] but also did so with a resounding result.”

Federer suffered his only ever ‘bagel’ at Wimbledon in the match against Hurkacz, losing the final set 6-0.

“When asked by journalists if that had been his last match on the grass in London, Federer did not clear up the unknowns,” Nadal continued.

“He expressed his need to value and think, and I think he did well. Those of us in the tennis world already sensed that.

“Not only because the Swiss will be [40 year old] on August 8, but above all because of the insufficient preparation he has been able to do in the last year after his long injury.”