Rafael Nadal take a dig at Roger Federer for missing clay season

Rafael Nadal is back in action and would cherish the familiarity that the red dirt beings to his life. He hasn’t really had the start to 2018 that he would have expected, being marred by injuries yet again and unable to feature much on the circuit.

While Nadal is gearing up for the upcoming clay court season, he will miss facing his arch rival Roger Federer, who has for the second year running pulled out of the entire clay court season.

Federer managed to win yet another Australian Open this time after his stellar comeback season last year. He has looked a bit off-colour ever since, apparently struggling with some injury concerns and has thus opted out of the clay court season in a bid to fresh and ready for Wimbledon.

Nadal is a tad dissapointed by Federer’s absence and has taken a sly dig at him for opting out despite making a statement that he would love to play a 5 setter on clay against Rafa.

“He says he will love to play against me again in best-of-five sets on clay. He said that a couple of days ago – and I thought he would play Roland Garros. Then a few days later he says he will not play in one event, so there’s a little bit of controversy with that.” Nadal said.

Federer has won just 2 of their 15 encounters on clay and had made a comment last month, expressing his desire to step out on a clay court against Rafa Nadal once again.

Roger is currently enjoying his off-period with his family and is expected to return to the circuit in Stuttgart just like last year, where he lost his first round before clinching titles at Halle and Wimbledon.