Rafael Nadal missed the 2014 ATP World Tour Final in London due to injury, but tennis rival Roger Federer believes that the Spaniard will return stronger next year.
Nadal missed the year-end tournament for the second time in three years after undergoing surgery to have his appendix removed earlier this month. The 14-time Grand Slam champion, who finished second to Novak Djokovic in last year's ATP World Tour Final, also missed the event in 2012 due to a knee injury.
Nadal also failed to defend his U.S. Open title this year due to a wrist injury he sustained while training for the Grand Slam event. Reports also indicated that Nadal will undergo stem cell treatment on his ailing back, which affected him during his 2014 Australian Open campaign earlier this year.
But while Nadal has been slowed down by numerous injuries this season, Federer, who has only faced his rival once this year, said that the 28-year-old will be "back to normal" and will win major titles again in 2015.
"I think he'll be playing for the biggest titles in the sport and maintaining his ranking and moving up again," Federer told USA Today, referring to Nadal. "I think that's what he expects from himself and that's what I hope we'll see again."
Federer's compatriot, Stanislas Wawrinka, who defeated Nadal in the 2014 Australian Open final, is also hoping that the former World No. 1 will regain his old form and remain healthy next season.
"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]."
Nadal returned to action in October after a long layoff since his fourth-round loss to Nick Kyrgios at 2014 Wimbledon in London in July. He competed in Beijing, Shanghai and Basel to prepare for the ATP World Tour Final, but he had to undergo appendicitis surgery before the prestigious year-end event started.
