Roger Federer finally opens up on Nadal's history-extending French Open feat
"Now Rafa won the French Open 14 times. That's unbelievable. I was happy for him that he did it again. Hats off to Rafa. After the 10th, and 11th time, I already thought, 'This can't be'. He keeps raising the bar. It's gigantic."
A week after Rafael Nadal's history-extending feat at the Roland Garros, Roger Federer finally reacted to the Spaniard's 14th French Open haul. Federer's no social media post on Nadal's achievement left fans surprised but in an interview on Saturday, the Swiss maestro opened up on the "unbelievable and gigantic" feat.
Beating his apprentice Casper Ruud in straight sets on court Philippe Chatrier last Sunday, Nadal lifted his 14th French Open title and a second major in 2022 after a stupendous run to his second Australian Open title in January. The title in Roland Garros also took Nadal (22) two clear of Federer and Novak Djokovic in the all-time Grand Slam list.
Back in 2009, Federer had surpassed tennis legend Pete Sampras' career tally of 14 Grand Slams to become the first man in Open Era to win 15 majors. What amazed Federer about Nadal's feat is that the Spaniard now has as many titles at the French Open as Sampras' career Slam haul.
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"In general, it's just unbelievable what Rafa has achieved," Federer told Tages-Anzeiger in an interview. "The record of Pete Sampras, which I beat, was 14 Grand Slam titles.
"Now Rafa won the French Open 14 times. That's unbelievable. I was happy for him that he did it again. Hats off to Rafa. After the 10th, and 11th time, I already thought, 'This can't be'. He keeps raising the bar. It's gigantic."
Earlier, Federer's coach Ivan Ljubicic had made a special request to French Open a day after Nadal's incredible achievement, a tweet that later went viral all over social media with tennis fans calling for the same.
"Not many PLAYED 14 @rolandgarros tournaments. He won it 14 times. There is no word to describe this feat. Don't think good old Phillippe would mind if his court changes the name to Rafael Nadal - statue is not enough," he had tweeted.
