As a golden tennis era transitions into its next guise, when, how, and why to retire is one of the biggest questions in the sport.

In a recent interview with DAZN Sport, the 22-time major champion was asked to push the conversation further and compare the rivalries between him, Federer and Djokovic to the new rivalries being made between young players in tennis—like the battles between Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Jannik Sinner of Italy.

"CONGRATS RAFA ON AN ICONIC CAREER," Federer wrote along with a photo of them during their playing days. For what it's worth, Roger Federer also reacted to Rafael Nadal's retirement announcement earlier in the day and sent a heartfelt message to his good friend.