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Rivals Nadal and Federer find it's good to talk
(China Daily)
Updated: 2005-10-24 05:19
MADRID: Just because hot rival Roger Federer is missing the Madrid Masters
with ankle ligament damage doesn't mean he's become a stranger to this weekend's
top seed Rafael Nadal.
 In fact, on his way through the draw and into a Sunday showdown with Croatian
Ivan Ljubicic, Spain's teenaged Roland Garros winner has taken time to check in
with the competition.
After slamming American Robby Ginepri 7-5, 7-6 (7/1) on Saturday to move to
within one win of his 11th title of the season, Nadal revealed he's been on the
phone to the injured Federer in Switzerland.
"I spoke to him and I asked him how he was feeling with his ankle, he had a
problem," said Nadal, who along with his main rival is among five players who
have qualified for next month's eight-man Masters Cup in China.
"He was still on crutches, but he hopes to be in Shanghai. He wants to be
there," said Spain's world No 2.
The friendly Nadal, one of just three men to have beaten the world number one
this year, says he has no problems with having the occasional yarn with the man
whom he yearns to replace atop the rankings.
"I've called a few times to congratulate him, for Wimbledon, for the US
Open," said the teenager who surpassed his friend's 77 match wins this year by
one through his defeat of Ginepri.
Should he defeat Ljubicic for the Madrid trophy, he will
pull level on 11 titles in 2005 alongside Federer.
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