Rafael Nadal confident Roger Federer will play better in 2014

Aug 16, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Roger Federer (SUI) plays in a match against Rafael Nadal (ESP)(not pictured) at the Western & Southern Open. Mandatory Photo Credit: Pat Lovell, USA Today Sports /

To say Roger Federer had an uncharacteristically lackluster 2013 would be an understatement. In what was a year full of struggles, Federer fell out of the top four in the world rankings for the first time since 2003, failed to win a grand slam for the first time since 2003, and didn’t make a major final for the first time since 2002.

However, his biggest rival, Rafael Nadal, doesn’t think people should start counting the Swiss tennis legend out yet:

"I don’t have any doubt that he will be playing better than what he did this year. But I am sure that he’s not finished. He will work hard in the off-season to be ready for 2014. I am sure he will be back playing great tennis again (Reuters)."

Nadal also said simply regaining the No. 1 spot in the rankings likely isn’t Federer’s main goal:

"So talking about if he’s able to be back or try to be back in the No. 1 (spot), I think it’s not his goal, because at the end he already has been there. He has been in the top positions of the ranking for a long time."

Federer is seeded fifth at the upcoming Paris Masters and is in danger of not qualifying for November’s ATP World Tour Finals.

[Source: Reuters]

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