Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are, undeniably, two of tennis’ greatest-ever players.
And, given they existed throughout the same era, their subsequent rivalry was just as legendary.
The Swiss and the Spaniard took to the court to face one another on 40 occasions, with the latter winning 24 of those meetings.
In the end, they both retired with a combined tally of 42 Grand Slam titles; a truly outstanding feat.
If you were in charge of tennis, what is the first rule you would change?
During their reign of terror, which obviously included Novak Djokovic, they dominated almost every player and every tournament.
However, not everybody was happy to roll over and accept their beating.
Dominik Hrbatý: the man with a winning record over both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
One man in particular actually boasted a winning record against both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, despite having never reached a Grand Slam final.
His name was Dominik Hrbatý.
Has there ever been a sadder retirement than Rafael Nadal’s in 2024?
A Slovakian star whose best run at a major came at the 1999 French Open, where he reached the semi-finals, he finished his career with seven career titles.
It marked a solid if unspectacular career, but one which deserves huge praise.
However, perhaps his biggest accolade was having retired with positive win records over Nadal (3-1), Federer (2-1) and even Andy Murray (1-0).
Only he, Alex Corretja and Djokovic can say they boasted such success against the former duo.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal remain linked even in retirement
Throughout their whole careers, as they consistently battled for the sport’s biggest honours, Federer and Nadal were intrinsically linked.
That has not faded with their retirement.
In fact, their bond, and the way they have been remembered, has only been strengthened.
Federer and Nadal played exhibition matches whilst they were still on the tour, and plan to do so even now.
Earlier this year, the greatest male champion in Wimbledon’s history spoke about the potential of an on-court reunion: “It would be great if it worked out.
What do players hope to gain from playing in exhibition matches? Do you think it’s only for financial gain?
“If we played exhibitions after our playing careers, we’d have more time and wouldn’t have to rush to the next match. I could imagine combining it with a good cause, raising money for my foundation and inspiring local young players.
“Nothing concrete is planned yet, but I can see some cool things that could come out of it.”
