After his straight-sets quarter-final win over Tomas Berdych, world No 2 Roger Federer wished his friend and rival-on-court Rafael Nadal a fast recovery.
Nadal, on Tuesday’s quarter-final against Marin Cilic, retired in the fifth set with a leg injury.
Fortunately for Nadal, a scan showed only a torn inner hip muscle and not something more serious, and he is expected to be back in action in three to four weeks.
“It’s hard to watch someone go out in five sets and not being able to finish,” he said of seeing Nadal struggle.
“I wrote Rafa late last night (Tuesday) before I went to bed. Last thing I did. I said I have to write Rafa and see how he’s doing.
“I was hoping he was going to be OK with the scan, hoping the news was not terrible.
“It was not nice to see a fellow rival and friend like this go out. Wish him well,” he added of the 16-time Grand Slam champion.
Federer’s selflessness was hailed by former star James Blake, who said the Swiss maestro was the only player who wrote to him when he suffered a serious injury in 2004.
(with inputs from AFP)
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