Roger Federer is more than an iconic champion.
The Swiss superstar is a tennis fan, too, and joins the tennis world rooting for Rafael Nadal to play Roland Garros.
More: Nadal Will Not Play Rome
Fourteen-time Roland Garros champion Nadal, who pulled out of this week's Rome Masters, has not played a clay-court match this year and has not played a match since losing to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open last January.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer, who was in Miami over the weekend for the Formula 1 race told Sky Sports it would be "brutal" for tennis if Nadal misses Roland Garros.
"It would be brutal (Nadal not being there), it would be tough for tennis if Rafa isn't going to be there," Federer told Sky Sports. "I still hope so, I saw he pulled out of Rome so I wish him the best."
Federer, who partnered Nadal in his Laver Cup farewell at the O2 in London last September, said he's hoping Novak Djokovic will be in full form as well.
"Obviously Novak hasn't been playing that much so I hope he's going to be strong as well and then all the young guys coming through as well," Federer said.
Photo credit: Laver Cup Facebook