Rafa Nadal returns to Wimbledon for the first time in three years but it will feel a little odd for the Spaniard who, for the first time at the All England Club, will not have sparring partner Roger Federer for company.
Nadal faces Francisco Cerundolo in his first round match today, but says Wimbledon feels a bit alleen without his big rival.
Their epic rivalry includes three successive Wimbledon finals from 2006 - the first two won by Federer and the last by Nadal in unforgettable fashion in 2008.
Federer played in the juniors at Wimbledon in 1998 and has been back every year since, winning a record eight titles and establishing himself as the king of the lawns.
But the 40-year-old will be absent this year as the 36-year-old Nadal seeks to continue his quest for the calendar year Grand Slam, having won the Australian Open and French Open to take his haul of majors to a record 22.
Federer’s absence because of a knee injury that has sidelined him for a year will leave Wimbledon a little empty.
And Nadal says: “I mean, we shared lot of important things together. It’s difficult in some ways to think of tennis in the last 15, 20 years without thinking about the rivalry that we have.
“I think in some way we push each other…”
World No.4 Stefanos Tsitsipas is also in action today against Swiss Alexander Ritschard, while defending champion Novak Djokovic dropped a set in his 6-3, 3-6, -6-3, 6-4 first round win over Kwon Soon-woo yesterday.
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