Twenty years ago, as a "generational talent" walked out on the Miami Masters court to play the then No. 1 men s tennis player, not many would have imagined what would transpire for the next two decades.
Rafael Nadal, the 22-time grand slam champion, is hanging up his racquet after the Davis Cup Finals that begin in Malaga on Tuesday. Although there was no guarantee whether the 38-year-old would play the quarter-final against the Netherlands, tears were being shed. That, courtesy Roger Federer.
Federer's farewell tournament two years ago left many in tears, including an inconsolable Nadal. It s Federer s turn now. The 20-time grand slam champion has outpoured his emotions for his long-time rival-cumfriend in a long note posted on social media.
"Let s start with the obvious," Federer started in his message, headlined by his RF logo, in Spain s national colours in Nadal s honour. "You beat me -- a lot... You challenged me in ways no one else could... Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more." Chalk and cheese in playing styles, they enjoyed the game, as did the fans. If Nadal dominated the claycourts with his powerful backhand, Federer ruled on grass with quiet class. Fans found themselves in two opposing camps, but over the years became "Team Fedal", taking off from the mutual respect and admiration the stars shared.
But when Nadal first burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old boy, a bandana around his head, wearing sleeveless shirt and long shorts, not everyone enjoyed him. Least of all Federer.
The two first met in March 2004, in the round of 32 at the Miami Masters. Nadal did not face a break point in the match that he won 6-3, 6-3. Federer had said then: "He doesn t hit the ball flat and hard. It s more with a lot of spin, which makes the ball bounce, bounce high, and that s a struggle I had." For Nadal, it was "one of the best matches" in his life.
From then till 2019, the duo met 40 times -- Nadal won 24 of those encounters, six of them at the French Open.
If Roland Garros, the home of the French Open, was Nadal s happy hunting ground, Wimbledon was Federer s. But in 2008, not only did he deal Federer his worst career loss at a major, winning 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 in Paris, less than a month later, Nadal denied the Swiss at Wimble- don in one of the best match- es ever played.
For fans, these 20 years on, Nadal and Federer are more than just players who brought out the best in each other or inspired others to be better.
They are ambassadors of the game, proof of how your fiercest rival on the court can be one of the best friends off it.
They have promot- ed the game to- gether, played exhi- bition match- es to raise money for chil- dren, propped each other up in their mo- ments to shine.
Federer helped Nadal launch his academy in Mal- lorca in 2016, sending his twins there as well to train.
Nadal specially came to Lon- don for the Laver Cup in 2022 -- with his wife about to give birth any day -- to give Federer the send-off he de- served. Not many sporting legends boast of such ad- miration, let alone of such friendship.
In cricket, Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar s regard for each other comes close.
"Brian would look out for me or I would do it. It s not the player that he is, it s actually the person he is. I value that friendship," Sachin had said of the Caribbean south- paw. Lara, in return, said how he "measured myself against Sachin. He was a few miles ahead of me at that time, I really wanted to be on par with him." In his recent documentary, Federer: Twelve Final Days on Prime Video, the Swiss recounted his conversation of how he would have loved to play one more doubles with Nadal before retiring. Nadal s response: "I m going to be there 100 per cent".
On arrival at the tournament, Nadal had said: "A lot of years, sharing a lot of things together. When Roger leaves the tour, an important part of my life is leaving, too." Two years on, it s Nadal s time. Federer, with his "very busy schedule", is not sure of making an appearance but everyone knows how Nadal s "old friend is always cheering" him on just as loud.
