Andre Agassi says there is no real friendship between Federer and Nadal

Are Nadal and Federer friends?


  • Total voters
    89

Elektra

Professional
I don't think they are friends but you can still like and respect someone without being their friend. That is part of being respectful adults.
Friendship is an investment relationship but being two popular players friendship is not likely to happen while they are still active.
 

Fedforever

Hall of Fame
I think it's more than obvious at this point that Fed and Rafa do like each other and get along well off the court, much more than Andre and Pete did. However, that quasi-friendship wouldn't be there if they hadn't been forced to spend time together being both the constant rival of the other and the faces of the sport. It's a friendship that was forced by respect despite their rivalry. And at the same time, that rivalry has prevented that friendship from being 100% honest, because at the end of the day, they started as rivals and will never be able to leave that part completely aside until their competitive careers end, so Andre has a point.

I think this is pretty much spot on. They seem to me to share genuine affection and yet also to be irritated by each other. Perhaps inevitable given their shared history.

I don't know how Agassi would know anyway - I don't think he's particularly close to either of them.
 
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