Not long had the dust settled on Rafael Nadal’s incredible victory at the Australian Open, and the announcement came that two of the sport’s legends would be playing side by side in September’s Laver Cup.
This has led to a burst of nostalgia from tennis fans across the world, that would travel to the far away sun, just to see their hero’s play.
I hate to be the party pooper, but will this dream matchup for Team Europe actually happen? I’m not sure and I’m going to give you my lowdown as to why.
The announcement came last Thursday in the very first week of February. That is a clear nine and half months until the tournament starts, and a lot can happen in that time.
Both players have spent a significant period of time on the sidelines and with their age, Nadal, 35, Federer, 40, time is not on their side so it’s no guarantee they will be 100% healthy at that stage of the season.
The two are at very different stages of their injury comebacks. Nadal is coming off the back of his unprecedented success Down Under and after a six-month lay off with a foot injury and COVID. By September, the record breaking 21-time Grand Slam champion would have played an enormous amount of tennis.
Assuming he doesn’t skip the hard-court season in Miami and Indian Wells, he will most definitely play a full clay-court season.
The Spaniard will surely be keen to test his wits on grass after his fairy-tale win, after so long, in Australia.
Wimbledon will be in his sights, after not playing at the All-England Club since 2019, pre-pandemic.
He could choose one of the two, Montreal Masters and Cincinnati, but the US Open is just before the Laver Cup and he will be itching to win that and continue his hot streak, especially if he wins the French Open.
The Grand Slams are his priority and no other.
You also factor in the travelling and training and at 35, Nadal, is going to want to conserve his body the same way Federer has done the past five years.
So, what of the Swiss’ plans?
He believes he will not make it in time for Wimbledon, after two years blighted by knee operations and rehabilitation.
This has lost him a lot of time on the court, and precious time in his career.
Assuming the 20-time Grand Slam winner does return in the American hard-court summer, then plays the US Open, he should be fine for the Laver Cup, which he clearly cares so deeply about.
The founding father of the event will most likely play, but considering how long he’s spent on the sidelines, nothing is guaranteed.
There is hope for optimism though. ‘Fedal’, as they are so famously dubbed, did play alongside each other in the inaugural edition in Prague, back in 2017.
And this was when they were back at the height of their powers, splitting the four Grand Slams that year between themselves.
They also played together again in 2019, in Geneva, Federer’s home country of Switzerland, before the pandemic hit and the Boston edition was scrapped for another year.
But neither played in last year’s due to injury and that’s why, every promise we hear regarding the two, should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Is the pairing in London a marketing money making mission? I would hope not.
And those that have bought ticket, specifically, to see the two icons of the sport, should be reimbursed if both or one is unable to play.
But that said Nadal has signed up, and kudos to him for that. With a busy schedule, he has still managed to squeeze in his long-time friend and rival.
We cannot wait to see the two play again side by side in the fifth edition of the event.
How many more times in the future can we witness such a sight? All we can do is appreciate them while they are still playing the sport that they so clearly love.
