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Roger Federer reveals he hoped Rafael Nadal retirement ‘would never come’


Tributes have come flooding in for Rafael Nadal following his retirement announcement earlier today, with Roger Federer one of the more notable names wishing his former rival well.

Nadal announced that he would be retiring from professional tennis this morning in a social media video, with his final tournament coming next month at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.


This news has unsurprisingly provoked a huge reaction, with stars from across the sporting world and beyond commenting on the post including footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer.

“What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come,” wrote Federer. “Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It’s been an absolute honor!”

Nadal and Federer played against each other on 40 occasions, including nine Grand Slam finals, with the former getting the better of the head-to-head with 24 victories.

However, the last time that they shared the court was on the same side of the net at the 2022 Laver Cup, when Federer waved his goodbye to tennis at the O2 in London.

Federer is not the only big tennis name to have wished Nadal well with former US Open champion Coco Gauff and World No.1 Jannik Sinner, amongst many others, also paying their tributes to the tennis great.

“You are amazing!” exclaimed Gauff. “It’s been so incredible to witness your greatness and work ethic and be able to learn from it. Wishing you all the best in your next chapter.”

While Sinner took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to congratulate Nadal on his 23-year career, “Thank you @RafaelNadal for everything you have given to the sport. To have the chance to spend a few weeks training with you a few years ago is something I’ll never forget.

“To watch you work as an athlete but also get to know you as a person off the court was even more special. A true legend of the game who paved the way and taught so many of us how to be as a player and as a person. You will be missed on the tour!”

There have been numerous other social media tributes from across the globe, as Nadal looks ahead to his final month as a professional tennis player.

Inside the baseline…

Roger Federer knows just what it’s like to finally say goodbye to the sport that you have enjoyed so much success in over the years, so it must bring a lot of feelings back from two years ago. It also seems that himself and Nadal have really built a great friendship since then and they have probably discussed this potential decision many times before it actually came to fruition. The outpouring of support that Nadal has received really just goes to show not only the impact he had on the tennis world, but also way beyond that.

READ MORE: Rafael Nadal announces retirement and what his ‘last tournament’ will be

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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.