Roger Federer’s former coach explains what he finds ‘hard to accept’ about Rafael Nadal’s decision to retire after being left surprised

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Rafael Nadal is set to join fellow legend Roger Federer in retirement very shortly, leaving only Novak Djokovic remaining from the Big Three.

Nadal will retire after the Davis Cup, where he will represent Spain on home soil in Malaga later this month.

Federer called time on his illustrious career back in 2022, while Djokovic looks set to continue playing for some time.

Djokovic has withdrawn from the ATP Finals, but it seems the 24-time Grand Slam champion is simply eager to get back to full fitness for the new season.

His decision leaves the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz to battle it out for the top prize at the year-end tournament in Turin.

Roger Federer’s former coach surprised by Rafael Nadal retirement

Only Djokovic sits above Federer for ATP Finals titles, with the former having won the event seven times and the latter six.

Federer’s former coach Ivan Ljubicic helped the Swiss star to plenty of success over the years, but he has now taken time to appreciate the stunning career of Nadal.

“I was surprised when Nadal announced his retirement,” Ljubicic told Eurosport. “I can obviously understand why, that’s not the question. But for me, Rafa Nadal is Roland Garros, and seeing that he’s not going to play Roland Garros is hard to accept.

READ MORE: Ivan Ljubicic explains what Roger Federer is really like off the court after some ‘complicated’ times

“Playing against Rafa on the Philippe-Chatrier is difficult. It’s a traumatic experience. I never played against Federer at Wimbledon, but I faced him many times and it was complicated because he had all the solutions.

“Rafa’s tennis is tactically quite simple, but impossible to manage with his topspin in particular. But Roger came up with different solutions each time, and for me, tactically, it was very complicated.

“Champions like that play to win, not to participate. I don’t know his level of play and his physical condition exactly, but it’s not the one we’re used to and which allows him to be competitive at a very high level. He’s going to finish in the Davis Cup, at home.”

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic ATP Finals records

While current champion Djokovic leads the way for ATP Finals titles, it is Federer who has the best win percentage in the event’s history.

Ljubicic, a former world number three, certainly knows Federer well, having helped him win his final three Grand Slam titles as his coach.

But they also came together on the court, with Ljubicic winning three times and losing 13 against Federer.

READ MORE: ATP Finals 2024: How to watch, prize money, dates, predictions and everything you need to know

He also met Nadal on several occasions, with the Spanish star winning seven of their nine meetings over the years.

All three will now likely be tuning into the latest ATP Finals event, particularly given the immense talents of Sinner and Alcaraz.