After coming back from injury to win the Australian Open last year, Federer skipped the clay-court season, won Wimbledon, and retained his Melbourne crown to extend his record tally to 20 majors.
The Swiss star is keeping his aging body fresher by playing a bit less — avoiding Nadal on clay at Roland Garros or elsewhere — and it is working for him.
But Nadal still thinks he can play a full schedule.
"There (are) tournaments that I can't imagine missing on purpose, because (they are) tournaments that I love to play," Nadal said on Wednesday. "I don't see myself missing Monte Carlo on purpose. I don't see myself missing Wimbledon on purpose, or the U.S. Open, or Australian, or Rome. These kind of events, I don't see missing (them)."
The 31-year-old Spaniard recently returned from a right hip injury which forced him to retire during the fifth set of his Australian Open quarterfinal against Marin Cilic.
With his 32nd birthday coming up on June 3 — during the French Open — the 16-time Grand Slam champion accepts he may think differently when he gets closer to Federer's age.
"Of course, when you get older, you need to adjust a little bit more the efforts and the calendar. But for me (it) is difficult to say I don't play, for example, grass, or I don't play hard (courts)," Nadal said. "(It) is not in my plan, but I can't say 'never' because I cannot predict what's going to be in the future."
Nadal is chasing an 11th title at both Monte Carlo and Roland Garros, which begins on May 27.