Federer Wishes Djokovic, Nadal, And Murray Continue Enriching Tennis

Roger Federer has expressed his hopes for former rivals Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray to continue playing, insisting the ATP Tour is better with them. Federer retired in 2022, while the other three - who formed tennis' 'big four' - appear close to retirement. Nadal will miss Wimbledon to focus on his last Olympics, and Murray is expected to retire this year.

Murray revealed in February that he does not plan on playing much past this summer. Meanwhile, 24-time major winner Djokovic is also likely to miss the grass-court major after undergoing knee surgery following his withdrawal from the French Open last week.

We will miss you this year, @RafaelNadal #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/5NFEOApYxX

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 13, 2024

Now in their late 30s, all three players are certainly at the twilight of their careers. However, Federer, who says the quartet now get on well after years of rivalry, hopes they are not finished yet.

"I really don't think there are any words of advice that I can give him," Federer told BBC Sport. "Retirement is so deeply personal. When you take that decision, everybody is in a completely different circumstance. We've gone through similar things, but I'm too far away to give advice."

Federer added, "If [Andy] called me up, I'd be happy to answer some questions. He's had this massive hip issue and what he is doing is inspirational. I hope Andy, like Rafa and Novak, can keep playing forever, like a fan. The tour is better with them."

Reflecting on his own experiences, Federer said, "I was watching Roland-Garros last week, and I was like: 'Wow, they're so good - I used to do that too!' It's tricky sometimes and there's definitely moments when you don't like a certain opponent, but then you like him so much."

Federer emphasized the importance of camaraderie among players. "It's important to remember this as a player - it is just tennis and, in the end, we can be normal. You see us being super friendly with each other after the rivalry, and we get on super well."