It was just the fifth time in Nadal’s career that he had conceded a walkover, and the first to Federer. “I am obviously excited to be in the finals, but not this way,” said the 37-year-old Federer. “We’ve had so many epic battles and I know now that every one we have could be our last. Was this our last chance? I hope not.” The knee had begun to bother Nadal in the second set of his 7-6(2) 7-6(2) victory over Karen Khachanov in the quarter-finals on Friday. “For me, it is not about today only,” said the world number two, who had not dropped a set in reaching the semi-finals. “It’s about what it means for me to have to pull out in a tournament that I love so much like this one, and in the semi-finals after playing well during the whole tournament. You can imagine that I can’t be happy.” Nadal, who has struggled with knee injuries throughout his stellar career, was the second high-profile player to withdraw from the tournament. Last Sunday, Serena Williams retired from her match against Garbine Muguruza with what the tournament said was a viral illness.
Published in Daily Times, March 18th 2019.
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