Roger Federer pays heartfelt tribute to previous rival Rafael Nadal in a 584-word assertion forward of Spaniard’s remaining skilled match as he remembers fondest recollections of epic rivalry

On Nov 19, 2024

Rafael Nadal, 38, will retire later this week after Spain’s Davis Cup campaign
Roger Federer and Nadal played each other 40 times across a 15-year period
The pair won 42 Grand Slam titles between each other during a brilliant rivalry

Published: 09:39, 19 November 2024 | Updated: 11:38, 19 November 2024

Roger Federer has paid an emotional tribute to his old tennis rival Rafael Nadal ahead of the Spaniard’s farewell tournament at the Davis Cup finals.

Nadal, who has won 22 Grand Slam titles during his career, announced his retirement from the sport last month.

The Spaniard is set to take to the court for the final time this week as Spain take on the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, with his fitness still a doubt.

The former world number one’s potential last match could be Sunday’s final as eight nations battle it out for the trophy.

Ahead of Nadal’s final tournament, Federer took to social media app X to share a heartfelt goodbye message to a player he shared the court with many a time during his playing career.

In a 584-word statement, the 20-time Grand Slam winner proclaimed he wanted to share some of his favourite moments with Nadal ‘before I maybe get emotional’.

Roger Federer (right) has paid tribute to the retiring Rafael Nadal (left) ahead of his last match

Nadal is set to feature on court for the last time during the Davis Cup that takes place this week

Federer and Nadal have grown to be good friends despite battling each other for a long time

Vamos, @RafaelNadal!

As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional.

Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me—a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could. On clay, it felt like I…

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) November 19, 2024

Writing about how the Spaniard impacted his career, he said: ‘You made me reimagine my game—even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge.

‘I’m not a very superstitious person, but you took it to the next level. Your whole process. All those rituals. Assembling your water bottles like toy soldiers in formation, fixing your hair, adjusting your underwear… All of it with the highest intensity.

‘Secretly, I kind of loved the whole thing. Because it was so unique—it was so you. And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more. OK, maybe not at first.’

Nadal and Federer faced off a total of 40 times in a 15-year period, with the Spaniard coming out on top 24 times.

The pair formed part of the ‘big three’ with Novak Djokovic which dominated the sport from the early 2000s, up until the Swiss player’s retirement in 2022.

Nadal and Federer’s rivalry is deemed as one of the greatest in sporting history with their most memorable battle coming in the 2008 Wimbledon final.

The Spaniard managed to come out on top to win his first Wimbledon title after a brutal five-hour battle on Centre Court.

However, it’s the ‘Battle of the Surfaces’ in 2007 that Federer has picked out as one of his fondest moments playing Nadal over the years.

Nadal beat Federer in an epic Wimbledon final in 2008 in what is regarded as their best battle

The pair also made history in 2007 by playing the same match on both clay and grass in the ‘Battle of the Surfaces’

Federer and Nadal’s final match after a 15-year rivalry came in the semi-finals of Wimbledon in 2019, which the Swiss retired player won

Federer’s full tribute to Nadal

Vamos, @RafaelNadal!

As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional.

Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me—a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could.

On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could just to hold my ground. You made me reimagine my game—even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge.

I’m not a very superstitious person, but you took it to the next level. Your whole process. All those rituals. Assembling your water bottles like toy soldiers in formation, fixing your hair, adjusting your underwear… All of it with the highest intensity.

Secretly, I kind of loved the whole thing. Because it was so unique—it was so you. And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more. OK, maybe not at first.

After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the #1 ranking for the first time. I thought I was on top of the world. And I was—until two months later, when you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly. All that buzz I’d been hearing about you—about this amazing young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, probably going to win a major someday—it wasn’t just hype.

We were both at the start of our journey and it’s one we ended up taking together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I have to say: What an incredible run you’ve had. Including 14 French Opens—historic! You made Spain proud… you made the whole tennis world proud.

I keep thinking about the memories we’ve shared. Promoting the sport together. Playing that match on half-grass, half-clay. Breaking the all-time attendance record by playing in front of more than 50,000 fans in Cape Town, South Africa.

Always cracking each other up. Wearing each other out on the court and then, sometimes, almost literally having to hold each other up during trophy ceremonies.

I’m still grateful you invited me to Mallorca to help launch the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2016. Actually, I kind of invited myself. I knew you were too polite to insist on me being there, but I didn’t want to miss it.

You have always been a role model for kids around the world, and Mirka and I are so glad that our children have all trained at your academies. They had a blast and learned so much—like thousands of other young players. Although I always worried my kids would come home playing tennis as lefties.

And then there was London—the Laver Cup in 2022. My final match. It meant everything to me that you were there by my side—not as my rival but as my doubles partner. Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career.

Rafa, I know you’re focused on the last stretch of your epic career. We will talk when it’s done. For now, I just want to congratulate your family and team, who all played a massive role in your success. And I want you to know that your old friend is always cheering for you, and will be cheering just as loud for everything you do next.

Rafa that!

Best always, your fan,

Roger

‘I keep thinking about the memories we’ve shared,’ Federer continued. ‘Promoting the sport together. Playing that match on half-grass, half-clay.

‘Breaking the all-time attendance record by playing in front of more than 50,000 fans in Cape Town, South Africa.

‘Always cracking each other up. Wearing each other out on the court and then, sometimes, almost literally having to hold each other up during trophy ceremonies.’

Nadal will be aiming to add a fifth Davis Cup to his trophy cabinet this week, last triumphing in the competition in 2019 when he was named ‘Most Valuable Player’.

However, despite the focus on his retirement – which he admits he is at peace with – Nadal has said his attention is on the team.

Speaking on Monday, Nadal said: ‘It’s something I have been thinking for quite a long time.

‘I could hold for one more year, but why? To say good-bye in every single tournament? I don’t have that ego to need that.

‘For me it doesn’t make sense to keep going knowing that I don’t have the real chance to be competitive the way that I like to be competitive, because my body is not able to give me the possibility to do that very often.

‘I’m enjoying the week. I know it’s going to be a big change in my life, but that’s going to happen later. Now I am here on the team, and I am very excited. I am happy for that.

‘I am not here for retiring. I’m here to try to help the team.’