Roger Federer says he's not afraid of Rafael Nadal amid criticism of the withdrawal of the Rogers Cup

World Number Two Roger Federer insists his decision to pbad the Rogers Cup this year is part of his plan to manage the workload and avoid clashes with his rival Rafael Nadal. ] Responding to critics who criticized him after withdrawing from the Masters 1000 tournament in Montreal, Federer said the sport meant more to him than the duels with Nadal

"For me, it's all about of something more than clashes with Nadal: it means the health and pleasure of tennis, the main goal is to win titles: that's why the numbers and records are secondary, "said Federer, cited by Tennis365. To be there personally in the history of my favorite sport, I would never think that I would be in the books of the book. "

Federer has not played against Nadal since the Shanghai Masters last season." The 36-year-old has escaped action on clay for two seasons while the # 39, Spanish reigned on the red ground

The two great tennis players were scheduled to meet for the first time this season at the Rogers Cup starting August 3rd. However, Federer's surprise decision to skip the cup was a huge disappointment for some tennis fans.

Notably, nine of the top 10 players in the ATP standings will be in action Montreal with Alexander Zverev in defense of the title Federer lost to the young German in two sets in the final of last year. 19659003] The 20-time Grand Slam champion, who failed at the quarter-final stage of his defense at Wimbledon earlier this month, is expected to re-compete at Cincinnati Master, which begins 15 days before the start. US Open.

Federer reveals joy in tennis

Photo of Roger Federer's record at Wimbledon 2018. GLYN KIRK / AFP / Getty Images

Federer will be down 750 points as a result of the withdrawal from the Rogers Cup, and the decision also put his chances of stopping first place at the end of the year when he will be ahead of Nadal in ATP 's Race to London rankings

Nadal is already 1740 points ahead of Federer at 5760, but the great Swiss insists that the numbers are not and have never been his priority.

"The goal was to be the best possible, hoping to be on the biggest stages of the world , maybe meet my idol. But Federer added, "That's why my joy in tennis is always so great. the field, I know it: it is not normal, it is not the reality.

"But I accept it and I take it as a challenge to defend my titles or raise some trophies."