Roger Federer Responds to Djokovic, Nadal Reunion Talks
Roger Federer says he would be happy to join Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal for a reunion to look back on their famous rivalry, which dominated men’s tennis for more than ten years. However, the Swiss legend added that Djokovic is not quite ready to reminisce yet, as he is the only one of the trio still playing on the ATP Tour and still reaching the latter stages of Grand Slams.
“Of course. Rivalries like ours create a strong bond. I see everything very differently now, with much more distance,” the 20-time Grand Slam champion told Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger.
Federer explained that Djokovic is still competing at the highest level, so he cannot reflect on the past in the same way. “Novak doesn’t know that feeling yet. Rafa is slowly getting there. When you’re still playing, you can’t think about things the way I do now. As time passes, you stop seeing yourself as just a player and start seeing the bigger picture. It’s funny—things that once felt personal don’t even matter anymore. I would definitely enjoy sitting down together and talking about the old days,” said the 44-year-old.
‘Sip a margarita on the beach’
Djokovic, who has won 24 Grand Slams, recently joked about wanting to relax with Federer and Nadal “with a margarita on the beach” after he lost in the Wimbledon semi-finals to eventual champion Jannik Sinner.
He said he would only be able to fully reflect on his career once he had put his racquet away for good. The idea of sharing a drink with Federer and Nadal has been mentioned by Djokovic more than once, suggesting he does miss having them around on the Tour.
Federer retired first, finishing his career at the 2022 Laver Cup in a doubles match alongside Nadal. Nadal followed two years later, playing his final match in the Davis Cup as Spain lost to the Netherlands. He then received a big farewell at this year’s French Open, joined by Federer, Djokovic and Andy Murray.
Djokovic, meanwhile, is still winning trophies. He picked up his 101st ATP title in Athens earlier this month before skipping the ATP Finals. But with Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz leading the new generation and with Djokovic admitting he can no longer cope with long five-set matches, it is unclear if he will continue beyond the 2026 season.
