Roger Federer earned four Miami Open crowns during his glittering career, with his first coming against Rafael Nadal in 2005.
Federer and Nadal’s legendary rivalry truly kicked off in Miami, as they met in their very first ATP Tour final.
The pair, typically, played out a five set classic, which saw Federer lift the trophy after a bonafide classic Miami final.
Federer achieved a feat against Nadal at the Miami Open which he never managed again throughout their rivalry.
Roger Federer’s incredible comeback victory against Rafael Nadal
Federer was the world number one heading into the Miami Open and he was the overwhelming favourite to beat Nadal in 2005, who entered the competition at the 29th seed.
The Spaniard looked to have flipped the script against the Swiss star by taking the first two sets against his future rival.
Masters events were played over a best-of-five set format back in 2005, which ended up working in Federer’s favour as he produced an astonishing comeback.
What would have happened if Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner played at the same time as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal?
Federer won a third set tie-break before taking the ascendancy in the fourth and fifth set by a scoreline of 6-3, 6-1.
The 2005 Miami Open marked the first and only time Federer would come back from a two set deficit to defeat Nadal.
The pair played out four more five set matches, which they split evenly, but there was never another comeback like the Miami Open final.
Roger Federer still holds a Miami Open record
Federer’s fourth and final Miami Open triumph saw him hit a tournament record that he still holds to this day.
The Swiss star defeated John Isner in straight sets in the 2019 final to become the oldest champion in the tournament’s history.
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Federer lifted the trophy at the age of 37 years, 235 days old, which ended up being his final-ever performance at the event.
He dominated the match in just 64 minutes, which included an impressive 32 of 35 points won on his own serve.
