Rafael Nadal has described Jannik Sinner’s ability to retain focus on his tennis as “amazing”, despite the distraction of his doping case. Nadal, who retired last November as Spain lost in the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup Finals, was speaking on former pro Andy Roddick’s podcast, Served with Andy Roddick, in a wide-ranging interview covering everything from his decision to retire to his rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Sinner, the world No 1, has been embroiled in a lengthy saga over two positive tests for clostebol last year, and eventually agreed to a three-month suspension in a settlement with WADA, which will last until the Italian Open in May. “We showed the world that we can be the biggest rivals but at the same time, we can be colleagues, we can have a good personal relationship,” Nadal said. “I think that shows a positive example to the next generations, I am proud of that. “I think that helps this new generation to understand you don’t need to hate your opponents, you can respect, you can appreciate the opponent, because in the end they are an important part of your life, so you don’t need to hate opponents to give your best.” Roddick drew comparisons between Nadal’s on- and off-court demeanour and that of the new generation of top tennis talent, including Nadal’s Spain teammate Carlos Alcaraz and five-time major winner Iga Swiatek. “Carlos is a great kid,” Nadal, who played doubles with the 21-year-old at the Olympics last year, said. “Great guy with a very good family behind him, with positive values. Humble. They’re good people. That’s why I think Carlos is how he is. Because in the end, the values you receive at home, the way you’re educated is the way that you show up. I see the same with Iga. “Jannik is another good guy. Not much of a show off. He’s focused on what he’s doing. Of course, he went through a very tough process the last year. It’s amazing the way he was able to keep being focused on what he’s doing. “It’s a new generation of great tennis players. I think they’re going to keep helping this beautiful sport to grow and to engage fans.” Nadal also shared the moment he made the decision to retire, bringing the curtain down on a career spanning two decades and 22 grand slam titles - including 14 French Opens, a record that is unlikely to ever be surpassed. The Spaniard endured a torrid time with injuries in his final years as a professional, memorably winning the French Open in 2022 despite having a numb foot from injections to numb an injury, and ultimately felt his body had had enough. “Inside myself, I was not able to move the way that I was used to moving,” he explained. “After Olympics [in Paris, when he lost in the second round of the singles], I came back home and said it’s over, I feel it. “Before I didn’t feel it, I wanted to give myself the time. After that, I say okay, it doesn’t make sense, I don’t feel like with this issue I’m going to come back and be competitive at the level that motivates me. When I felt that, it was over.”