Rafael Nadal news indicated that Roger Federer will replace 'Rafa' in the upcoming International Premier Tennis League, the tournament organizers announced in a statement on Monday.
Nadal decided to withdraw from the inaugural edition of the IPTL as he has yet to recover from a wrist injury, which also forced him to miss the 2014 US Open and Spain's Davis Cup tie against Brazil where his team lost to the Brazilian side.
IPTL founder Mahesh Bhupathi said that it would have been big had Nadal recovered to play in the tournament, but both parties mutually agreed about Nadal's non-participation in the event.
"You know, Rafael has been hurt since Wimbledon he has not played any tennis," Bhupathi said in a Rafael Nadal news on Super Sport. "So obviously there was a risk there, and you know in the format we have, there is something, you know, neither party wanted to kind of take a chance with."
With Nadal out, Bhupathi announced that Federer has already accepted an invitation to replace Nadal in the event after not being invited in the tournament because the Swiss superstar was expecting his set of twins when they finalized the IPTL roster.
"When you are talking of profile as high as Rafael Nadal, there was probably only one name that could have helped ease the pain and for us fortunately Roger was available and we made it happen," Bhupathi said.
Federer is scheduled to lead Switzerland in their Davis Cup World Group final match against France before flying to Manila, Philippines for the IPTL where he will team up with "Indian Aces" players Pete Sampras, Gael Monfils, Ana Ivanovic, Sania Mirza, Rohan Bopanna and Fabrice Santoro.
Meanwhile, Toni Nadal, the uncle and coach of the Spanish tennis superstar, questioned the Spanish Tennis Federation's decision to name former women's tour player Gala Leon as the new Davis Cup captain of Spain.
"I have had zero relations with Gala Leon and I believe Rafa Nadal also zero, he has never mentioned it to me," Toni Nadal said in a Rafael Nadal news. "But it doesn't matter, I have never spoken to her but that doesn't mean anything. It would seem to be more normal if the captain had been someone like Juan Carlos Ferrero, or some ex-player of a certain level, which is what has happened recently."
