Roger Federer has penned a heartfelt letter honoring his long-time rival Rafael Nadal as the Spaniard prepares to retire from tennis. Federer expressed his admiration for Nadal, stating: “Your old friend is always cheering for you.” Nadal's final tennis appearance will be at the Davis Cup finals in Malaga, where Spain will face the Netherlands on Tuesday.
The rivalry between Federer and Nadal marked an iconic era in tennis, with the duo clashing 40 times from 2004 to 2019. In his letter shared on social media, Federer reminisced about their shared journey, acknowledging Nadal's numerous victories over him and the impact Nadal had on his own game. He wrote: “You made me reimagine my game – even going so far as to change the size of my racket head, hoping for any edge.”
Federer also touched on Nadal's iconic rituals and the time his children spent at Nadal's tennis academies, humorously noting his concern that his kids might come home playing tennis left-handed. The two legends competed in nine grand slam finals, with Nadal winning six, but their most memorable moment together was at Federer's emotional farewell at the Laver Cup in London, where they were seen crying and holding hands.
Federer concluded his letter by expressing his support for Nadal's future endeavors, saying: “Your old friend is always cheering for you, and will be cheering just as loud for everything you do next.” Nadal, in a press conference, mentioned that while he hadn't spoken to Federer about attending the Davis Cup, he believed there would be other opportunities for them to reunite.
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