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Roger Federer pays ’emotional’ tribute to retiring Rafael Nadal


Roger Federer has penned an emotional letter to former rival Rafael Nadal, who is set to retire at the Davis Cup Finals this week.

Federer and Nadal were part of ‘the big three’ alongside 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, and have dominated the ATP Tour in the 21st century.

And now it is set to be just Djokovic left, with Nadal set to join Federer in retirement following the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga this week.

Ahead of Nadal’s upcoming retirement, Federer has opened up on what the Spaniard has meant to him in a lengthy post on social media.

“Vamos, @RafaelNadal! As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional,” said Federer. “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.”

Federer and Nadal played one another 40 times throughout their respective careers, and it was the latter who got the better of their head-to-head with 24 victories.

Continuing his social media message, Federer was full of praise for Nadal’s career achievements and spoke about how he felt when the Spaniard first arrived on the scene.

“And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more,” claimed the Swiss. “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.”

Federer added, “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.”

Unlike most of the time when they shared the court, Nadal was on the same side of the net as Federer for his farewell at the 2022 Laver Cup.

This is another ‘special moment’ that Federer recollected, as he issued his final congratulations to Nadal ahead of his next chapter post-tennis, “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.”

Spain are taking on the Netherlands in their Davis Cup quarter-final later today, with Nadal confirmed to be opening the tie in singles competition against Botic van de Zandschulp.

Inside the baseline…

Rafael Nadal has had such an incredible and decorated career, with there being so much you could say about him, and Roger Federer has done that so well. The pair always showed their respect for one another as active players, and since Federer’s retirement have really developed such a strong bond and friendship that has stemmed from their iconic moments on court together. Nadal playing singles shows that he is feeling good, so hopefully he can get the farewell that he deserves whether that is today or at another stage in Malaga this week.

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Matthew Johns, Tennishead Writer, is a professional tennis journalist with a specialist degree in Sports Journalism. He's a keen tennis player having represented his local club and University plus he's also a qualified tennis coach. Matthew has a deep knowledge of tennis especially the ATP Tour and thrives on breaking big tennis news stories for Tennishead.