Nadal and Federer had a long-standing rivalry on the court, with the Spaniard coming out on top 24 times and the Swiss maestro securing 16 victories in their battles.
Nadal’s dominance was particularly evident in their 16 matches on clay, where he emerged victorious 14 times on his preferred surface, while Federer only managed to defeat him twice.
Despite being fierce competitors and vying for major titles, the bond between Nadal and Federer has surprised many in recent years.
Nadal was visibly emotional when he participated in Federer’s farewell match at the Laver Cup in 2022, and the two have collaborated on charitable events and Nadal’s tennis Academy in Spain.
While it may seem like their rivalry ended with a special friendship, Nadal downplayed this notion in an interview with El Objectve de La Sexta.
“I wouldn’t consider him a friend, but rather someone familiar, with whom I have a great relationship,” Nadal stated.
“We have shared the majority of our careers and have supported each other.
“We have also learned a lot from one another. Our level of self-demand was incredibly high because we knew we couldn’t afford to fail. That competition pushed us to our limits.”
Nadal and Federer’s rivalry was the dominant storyline in men’s tennis until Novak Djokovic emerged as a credible threat to both of them.
The Serbian has surpassed their records in Grand Slams and weeks as world No. 1 in an impressive manner. While Nadal hasn’t always been positive about Djokovic’s success in recent interviews, he expressed more appreciation this time.
“The image he portrays is worse than who he really is,” said the Spaniard.
“He’s a good person, with his flaws… but he’s much better than he appears. When someone with such success has to project themselves.
“Novak may break his racket, but in the next point, he’s giving it his all. That’s why he’s the most successful player in the history of our sport. The numbers speak for themselves; he’s the best in history.”
The extensive interview also touched on Nadal’s retirement plans and whether he will leave tennis with a positive impression of the sport. He added, “Tennis has given me the opportunity to live a story that I would never have experienced without this sport. I just get frustrated when my body doesn’t respond as I would like.”
The response to Nadal’s recent comments has been largely positive, with social media users suggesting that his words towards Djokovic were warmer than in previous interviews.
Djokovic and Nadal played a significant role in Federer’s departure from tennis when they were part of his final match at the Laver Cup. It will be interesting to see if the same respect will be shown when the other two greats of this remarkable trio eventually retire.
According to the Source tennis365.com