Rafael Nadal's Criticism of Roger Federer is Right on the Money

Rafael Nadal's criticism of rival Roger Federer regarding the overcrowded schedule leading up to the Australian Open is right on the money.

Nadal and Britain's Andy Murray have been two stars that have publicly expressed their frustration about the number of matches and scheduling during recent months.

However, one player who has not complained is Federer.

Per NBC Sports:

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Responding to the suggestion that Federer disliked players complaining openly about problems on the tour because it tarnished the image of tennis, Nadal said he took another view.

"No, I totally disagree," he said in comments translated from Spanish. "For him it's good to say nothing. Everything positive. 'It's all well and good for me, I look like a gentleman,' and the rest can burn themselves.

"Everyone is entitled to have their own opinions."

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Nadal is spot on with his criticism of Federer. The amount of matches and the poor scheduling is a real problem in tennis. The sport needs its stars fully healthy and rested for the biggest tournaments of the season, which are the Grand Slam events.

Let's face it, unless you are a die hard tennis fan, when are you going to watch tennis over other sports except during one of the four Grand Slam events?

Tennis is at its best when the biggest stars clash in the later rounds of Grand Slam tournaments. Federer vs. Nadal and Federer vs. Novak Djokovic battles in Grand Slam tournaments give the sport a huge boost in terms of interest and the amount of people who watch on television.

With the insane amount of tournaments each year, the circuit really takes a physical toll on players.

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"I love the game and there's a lot of things I'm grateful for. The game has allowed me to lead a fantastic lifestyle," he said. "But to finish your career with pain all over your body, is that a positive? No.

"Maybe (Federer) has got a super body and he'll finish his career like a rose. Neither myself, nor Murray, nor Djokovic are going to finish our careers like a rose.

"Tennis is an important part of my life, but it's a tough sport. We're not like him where it's effortless to play. All of us, it's a battle."

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Nadal has battled a shoulder injury over the past few weeks, but it doesn't seem to be a problem leading up to the Australian Open, a tournament Nadal last won in 2009.

Tennis can not afford to have top stars missing from major tournaments, which makes the task of lessening the number of events or not having them so condensed in the schedule an important step in making the circuit better.

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"He (Federer) likes the circuit. I like the circuit," Nadal said. "It's much better than many other sports but that doesn't mean that it couldn't be better. It doesn't mean there are some things about the tour that could change. The tour is fine, but there are some things that are bad. That's all we're saying.

"And the vast majority of players have this same opinion. He's got a different opinion ... if the vast majority have one opinion, and a small minority think differently, maybe it's them who are wrong."

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These are strong comments by Nadal, but I love that he's not afraid to speak up so tennis can get better, because that's the overall goal here.

Federer is a huge superstar of the sport and his unwillingness to help tennis get better from a scheduling standpoint is wrong.

Federer hasn't battled the number of injuries many other top stars have over the years, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't help them out.

As a respected player on and off the court for tennis, Federer's voice and opinion could really help make the sport better.

His lack of support for his fellow players is saddening, and hopefully Federer realizes that by helping them, he helps himself and the sport.

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