Legendary Swiss tennis player Roger Federer said today that Spain’s Rafael Nadal made the world proud during an epic career, paying tribute to him before his former great rival retires.
Nadal will end his career this week, after participating in the Davis Cup in Malaga with the Spanish national team.
Federer and Nadal were great rivals and played spectacular matches, in 40 duels the Swiss won 16, and Nadal won 24.
The Swiss finished his career in 2022 with 20 Grand Slam titles, and Nadal has two more.
“As you prepare to graduate from tennis, I have a few things to share before I get emotional. Let me start with the obvious: You beat me—much, much more than I beat you. You challenged me like no one else could. On clay, it felt like I was walking into your backyard and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could, just to hold the position,” Federer said in a letter on social media, he reported BBC.
The winner of 20 Grand Slam titles added that Nadal made him rethink his game, to the extent that he had to change the size of the racket head.
Federer won their last match in 2019 at Wilmbledon, but the first duel in 2004 was won by the then 17-year-old Nadal.
“I thought I was on top of the world. And I was, until two months later, when you came out on the court in Miami in a red tank top, showing off your biceps, and you beat me by a landslide. All that I’d heard about an amazing young player with For the Mallorcan, a generational talent, who will probably win a Grand Slam trophy one day, it was not just an advertisement,” said Federer.
“We were both at the beginning of our journeys and we ended up going through it together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I have to say: What incredible results you have had. Including 14 trophies at Roland Garros – historic. You have made Spain proud… you have made the whole world proud,” added the 43-year-old Federer.
Federer played the last match of his career with Nadal, in doubles at the Laver Cup. That double was then called “Fedal”, and both cried when the duel was over.
“To share the field with you that night, to share those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career. I know you are now focused on the last part of your epic career. We will talk when it is over. Now I just want to say congratulations to your family and team, who played a huge role in your success,” said Federer.
“And I want you to know that your old friend is always rooting for you and I’ll be rooting just as loudly for whatever else you do next,” added one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
Today, Spain will play in the Davis Cup quarter-finals against the Netherlands in Malaga, and it is not known whether Nadal will play.
He made his Davis Cup debut 20 years ago, which he won four times, in 2004, 2009, 2011 and 2019.
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Source: www.vijesti.me
