Roger Federer has shared a heartfelt farewell message to his longtime rival and friend, Rafael Nadal, as Nadal prepares for what might be his final match at the Davis Cup Finals 2024 in Malaga on November 19, 2024.
In a touching post on social media, Federer praised Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion. Federer, a champion himself with 20 Grand Slam titles, reflected on their special rivalry that has defined both of their careers.
“You beat me a lot. More than I managed to beat you,” Federer wrote. He described how Nadal challenged him in ways that made him a better player. “On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard,” he added, noting how Nadal pushed him to work harder and even change his equipment to compete at his level.
The two players, often referred to as “Fedal,” faced each other in 40 matches over 15 years, with Nadal winning 24 times. Their rivalry was not just about competition; it was also marked by friendship and mutual respect.
Nadal won their first match when he was just 17 years old in 2004. Their last matchup was in 2019 at Wimbledon, where Federer claimed victory. One of their most memorable matches was the 2008 Wimbledon final, which many consider the greatest match in tennis history, where Nadal ended Federer’s five-year winning streak.
Nadal is known for his powerful left-handed forehand and passionate celebrations, while Federer is celebrated for his smooth movements and elegant play. Nadal has a strong record against Federer at the French Open, having won all six of their encounters there.
Nadal’s tennis journey came to an end on Tuesday night after Spain lost 1:2 to the Netherlands in a quarter final at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena in Malaga.
In what turned out to be the last match of his career, Nadal 38 lost 4:6 4:6 in the first singles to Netherlands Botic Van de Zandschuip. However, as earlier announced in October Nadal officially retired from professional Tennis.
