Rafael Nadal failed to compete at the 2014 ATP World Tour Final again this year as he has been bothered by injuries all-season long, but Roger Federer is convinced that his rival will make a strong comeback next year.
Nadal missed the year-end tournament for the second time in three years after undergoing another surgery to have his appendix removed earlier this month. He also missed the ATP World Tour Final in 2012 due to a knee injury, but returned strong the following year.
The 14-time Grand Slam champion sat out for several weeks after losing in the fourth round of 2014 Wimbledon to Nick Kyrgios due to a wrist injury. He made his return at the 2014 China Open in Beijing and Shanghai Masters, but suffered from appendicitis.
Nadal wanted to play through pain in ATP Swiss Indoors Basel in Switzerland, and took antibiotics because he wanted to play in London, but he eventually decided to undergo surgery, signaling the end of his tumultuous campaign this year.
But despite missing the majority of the year, Federer is still convinced that his long-time rival Nadal will still be a perennial title contender next year.
"When Rafa plays, he's unbelievably good. I expect him to be back to normal," said Nadal, who has only faced Federer once this year, which is their fewest number of meetings since 2004.
"I think he'll be playing for the biggest titles in the sport and maintaining his ranking and moving up again. I think that's what he expects from himself and that's what I hope we'll see again," Federer added in the USA Today interview.
Stanislas Wawrinka, who defeated Nadal in the final of the 2014 Australian Open when the Spaniard was suffering from an ailing back, also believes that the Mallorca, Spain native will come back strong next year, while also expressing hope that the tennis superstar will remain healthy in 2015.
"For me, if Rafa is fit again without injuries, he's going to be back at the top again for sure," Wawrinka said. "Every time he comes back he almost wins everything. We'll see. I hope he's going to be fit again and not injured, but it's going to be interesting for 2015."
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