Rafael Nadal's alternate coach believes Roger Federer would have retired long ago if it hadn't been for his 2 main rivals

What's the story?

In a recent interview, Francis Roig, one of the coaches in Rafael Nadal's team, commented on Roger Federer's decision to extend his career despite being at an age where most players would have long retired.

Roig theorized that the only reason Federer continues to play on the professional circuit is due to the presence of Nadal and Novak Djokovic, and that if they had not been major rivals of the Swiss, he would have retired long ago.

In case you didn't know...

When Federer began dominating the tennis tour in 2004, no one could have predicted what was to follow. Unlike in the WTA where Serena Williams was largely unchallenged, Federer had to deal with two other GOATs of tennis; the three of them together formed the greatest era in tennis history.

Novak Djokovic (left), Rafael Nadal (centre) and Roger Federer

The heart of the matter

"If Nadal and Djokovic were not around, Federer would have retired years ago," Roig said.

"They push each other, which doesn't mean Nadal sees himself playing until 38 years of age. But I think Rafael will keep playing as long as he feels capable of winning Grand Slams."

While many predict Federer will be the first to retire out of the Big 3 given that he is 5 years older, his game style is less stressful on the body than Nadal's and Djokovic's grinding tennis. That, coupled with the motivation to remain a step ahead of his two rivals, has allowed the Swiss to compete for longer than a normal player would.

Francis Roig (L) with Rafael Nadal

Roig then turned the conversation to the upcoming ATP Cup which Nadal will feature in.

"It's always good to play matches and the groups stage format guarantees you to play. Rafa likes the team competitions. It can be something nice like the Davis Cup and he will face the best guys in every country. Then he has a week to prepare ahead of the Australian Open. We will go there trying to win the competition," Roig said.

What's next?

Federer will turn 39 next year, but he has given no indication of when he plans to hang up his boots. He currently leads Nadal in the all-time Slam list by just one title, and would be keen to add to his haul before calling it a day.