Federer, who retired two years ago, pays tribute to Nadal, who played the last match of his life
Among the ‘Big 4’, only Djokovic is active… Complete generation change with Sinner and Alcaras born in the 2000s
“); (Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Dong-chan = 2024 will likely be remembered as the year in which a page was turned in the history of men’s tennis.
As Rafael Nadal (Spain) retired after the Davis Cup match that ended in Malaga, Spain on the 20th (Korean time), three of the ‘Big Four’ who reigned as men’s tennis powerhouses for over 20 years since the early 2000s are now ‘retired players’. Done.
‘Tennis Emperor’ Roger Federer (Switzerland) retired in 2022, and this year Nadal and Andy Murray (Great Britain) said goodbye to the court they had grown accustomed to.
Among the ‘Big 4’, the only player remaining active is Novak Djokovic (Serbia).
Federer, born in 1981, lived long past the age of 40, while Nadal, born in 1986, and Murray, born in 1987, put down their rackets in their late 30s. Djokovic is the same age as Murray.
You can quickly see how great these four players are by looking at their records of winning major tournaments.
From Wimbledon in 2003, when Federer first reached the top of the majors, to the US Open last year, these ‘Big Four’ have won 69 times in a total of 81 major tournaments.
This was the first time in 22 years since 2002 that these four players did not win even one of the four Grand Slam tournaments in a year.
This year, Jannick Sinner (Italy), born in 2001, announced a ‘generational change’ by winning the Australian Open and US Open, and Carlos Alcaras (Spain), born in 2003, won the French Open and Wimbledon.
Djokovic, the only active player among the ‘Big Four’, won a gold medal at this year’s Paris Olympics, but did not win a major tournament.
Djokovic has the most singles wins in major tournaments with 24, followed by Nadal with 22 and Federer with 20.
Nadal, who lost 0-2 (4-6 4-6) to Botik van der Janchull of the Netherlands in his last match on this day, was the ‘Emperor of the Clay Court’, having won the French Open 14 times.
He also won a gold medal in singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming the second player to achieve the ‘Career Golden Slam’ after Andre Agassi (USA). This year, Djokovic became the protagonist of his third career Golden Slam after Nadal at the Paris Olympics.
Nadal, who boasted strong stamina and tremendous defensive ability during his active career, has not been able to play in many competitions over the past two years due to injuries to various parts of his body, including his back, hip joints, and leg muscles.
In major tournaments, he only participated in last year’s Australian Open and this year’s French Open.
Federer, who was Nadal’s ‘rival’ during his career, posted a message dedicated to Nadal on his social media on the 19th.
Federer praised Nadal, saying, “You have beaten me more times than I have beaten you,” and “Especially on clay courts, you were a very strong opponent and I had to work harder to beat you.”
He even confessed, “I even made the racket head bigger in the hope that the ball would hit the tip of the racket.”
In the head-to-head match between Federer and Nadal during their active years, Nadal had the advantage with 24 wins and 16 losses. Nadal is ahead in all major tournaments, including 10 wins and 4 losses, and 6 wins and 3 losses in major finals.
Federer praised Nadal, who is retiring, saying, “I was able to enjoy tennis more because of you,” and “I am proud of Spain and the entire tennis world because of you.”
In particular, Federer formed a doubles group with Nadal at the 2022 Laver Cup, which was his retirement match.
Federer looked back and said, “Being paired with you in my last match was one of the special moments,” and gave a friendly greeting, saying, “I have always supported you and will continue to do so.”
Coincidentally, both Federer and Nadal’s retirement matches ended in defeat.
Nadal lost the match that day, and Federer also lost 1-2 (6-4 6-7 9-11) to the Francis Tiafoe-Jack Sok (USA) group in the 2022 Laver Cup, where he was in a group with Nadal.
Federer also lost 0-3 (3-6 4-6 4-6) to Hubert Hurkacs (Poland) in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2022, which was his last singles match, and Nadal’s last doubles match was a loss in the quarterfinals of this year’s Paris Olympics. It was.
—
Interview 1: Federer and Nadal
Q: How would you describe your relationship with your long-time rival, Rafael Nadal?
Roger Federer: Rafael and I have had a very competitive rivalry on the court, but off the court, we have always had a great respect for each other. We have shared some incredible moments together, including our epic Wimbledon final in 2008, and it was an honor to play against him. His dedication and determination are unmatched, and he has left an indelible mark on the sport of tennis.
Q: Rafael Nadal recently announced his retirement from the sport. What are your thoughts on his illustrious career and his impact on the game?
Roger Federer: I am very proud of Rafael for everything he has accomplished in his career. He has been a tremendous ambassador for the sport and an inspiration to countless players around the world. His dominance on clay and his never-give-up attitude are truly remarkable. He will be missed by the tennis community but his legacy will live on forever.
Interview 2: Sinner and Alcaras
Q: Jannick, as a part of the new generation of tennis players, what do you feel is the biggest challenge in following the “Big Four” era of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray?
Jannick Sinner: The “Big Four” era left a huge legacy in tennis, but we are focused on our own journeys and aiming to contribute to the sport in our own ways. We have new roles models like Novak Djokovic, who is still active, and we are committed to pushing the boundaries of the sport. The challenge is to maintain a high level of consistency and win major titles while staying healthy, which can be difficult in a demanding sport like tennis.
Q: Carlos, as the youngest player to win the Golden Slam, how do you feel about carrying the torch for the new generation of tennis stars?
Carlos Alcaraz: It’s an honor to be considered a leader of this new generation, but we are still young and learning. My focus is on improving my game and becoming the best player I
