Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (Photo : Getty Images)
Henri Leconte believes there is uncertainty over the future of the sports once Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer retire from the competition.
Many are hoping for Federer and Nadal to come back to the Tour in full health after both players opted to sit out the rest of the 2015 season due to injuries and setbacks. Leconte, a former French professional tennis player, is one of those who wishes to see Federer and Nadal once again playing at a high level, insisting that tennis still needs the presence of the Swiss Maestro and King of Clay.
"It's never easy to come back at a high level after not having played for a such long time like it happened with Federer," Leconte told SuperTennis TV via Tennis World.
"Hopefully Federer and Nadal can come back because we need them. You have to realize one thing: when these guys retire, what will happen to tennis?"
Federer and Nadal have been participating at the Tour for more than a decade, with a combined total of 31 Grand Slam titles in their records. Both have also created one of the richest rivalries in the history of the sport, and are also admired all over the world because of their on-and-off court personalities.
Tennis may not be the same without Federer and Nadal, but the sport's future is still bright with Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray dominating the competition. Next generation stars like Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem, Milos Raonic and Nick Kyrgios are also in position to take over the tennis scene in the coming years. However, according to Lorenzo Ciotti of Tennis World, the sport is experiencing a "kind of waiting and depression" with Rafa and Roger relegated on the sidelines.
"Tennis is growing in terms of numbers, earnings and media coverage. This has happened for two main reasons: new technologies involving media coverage and tennis facilities and the advent of Federer and Nadal, who changed modern tennis, marking an epoch and a rivalry that can never be compared," Ciotti wrote.
Nadal and Federer have yet to indicate any signs of retirement, with both confirming plans of playing for the next couple of years. But time is not on their side, and their imminent exit from tennis action should already be at the back of fans' minds.
