Modern tennis is originated as lawn tennis in Birmingham, England, in the late 19th century. Tennis is played by more than 128 players globally and every year the number of players and their records are rising as well. So many players have been playing for a long and have their records. Let's have a look at the Top 10 tennis players who have played most matches in tennis history.

Also Read: Players who won the Golden Slam in their career

Most matches in Tennis history

10. Ilie Nastase | 1224

The Romanian tennis player was one of the world's top players of the 70s and was ranked No. 1 globally from 23 August 1973 to 2 June 1974. He has played 1224 matches and with a winning percentage of 73.1, winning 891 matches. He has won 2 Grand Slams and is one of the 10 players in history to win 100+ ATP professional titles. On his 70th birthday, he received the Star of Romania. He was also made a Knight of France's Legion d'honneur in 2009 for his exceptional sporting career.

9. Guillermo Vilas | 1234

Guillermo Vilas, the Argentine former professional tennis player, is the No. 1 player of the Grand Prix seasons in 1974, 1975, and 1977. He has played 1234 matches and won 943 matches out of it with a winning percentage of 76.3. Vilas made a record 53-match winning streak on clay courts, which was later surpassed by Nadal in 2006. He won 2 Grand Slam singles tournaments and 16 of the 31 Association of Tennis Professionals in 1977. 1977 is considered to be the best year of his career.

8. Rafael Nadal | 1285

Rafael Nadal is one of the most famous players of his time. He has played 1285 matches and successfully won 1066 matches with a winning percentage of 83.1. Rafa has also been ranked No. 1 in the ATP rankings for a straight 209 weeks. He has 22 Grand Slams to his name. Nadal also has the best finish at each of the four Grand Slams. Nadal is the youngest player in the Open Era to achieve the Career Grand Slam. He is also the only player to win at least 1 Grand Slam for 10 consecutive years (2005-2014), and 400+ matches on both hard courts and clay courts.

Also Read: Longest Tennis matches in history (All formats)

7. Virginia Wade | 1290

Virginia Wade is the 7th player in the list of most matches in tennis history. She had played a total of 1290 matches and won 839 out of them. In her tennis career from 1962 to 1985, she had won 55 singles titles, achieved a career-high at No 2, three Grand Slams (1986 US Open, 1972 Australian Open, 1977 Wimbledon), 3 Major tennis singles championships, and 4 Major doubles championships. In the history of tennis, she is the only British woman to win titles at all four Majors.

6. Novak Djokovic | 1294

Novak Djokovic, the Serbian professional tennis player who is currently ranked as world No. 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals has played a total of 1294 matches in his career till now. He has won 1084 matches out of all the matches with a winning percentage of 83%. Djokovic has been the No. 1 in tennis for the longest period of time of 404 weeks and has also won 24 Grand Slams. He is the winner of 98 ATP singles titles, 7 ATP Finals titles, and 40 ATP Tour Masters 1000 titles. He has also made the record of being the only male player to win all 9 of the ATP Tour Masters 1000 tournaments twice.

Also Read: [Updated] Most weeks at no.1 in tennis (male)

5. Ivan LendI | 1311

Ivan Lendl, the Czech-American former professional tennis player who was ranked world No. 1 for 270 weeks and won 94 singles titles has played a total of 1311 matches in his career. Lendl, who played from 1978 to 1994, won 1069 matches out of all the matches with a winning percentage of 81.5. The formidable Czech, a former world No. 1, claimed eight Grand Slam titles (two Australian Opens, three French Opens, and three US Opens) among 94 ATP titles. He collected $21,262,417 in total prize money.

4. Chris Evert | 1502

Chris Evert, the American former world No. 1 tennis player, was one of the dominant women's players of her time. She has played 1502 matches in his career from 1974 to 1986 and won 1308 of them with an exceptional winning percentage of 89.99%. Chris has 18 Grand Slam singles championships and 3 doubles titles in his bag of awards. Chris Evert was also the world's No. 1 singles player in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, and 1981 at the year-ending.

3. Roger Federer | 1520

Roger Federer, the legend of his era, is considered to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time. The legend has a record of winning 20 Grand Slam men's singles titles 103 ATP titles. He has played 1520 matches and won 1245 out of it and has a great winning percentage of 82.1%. He is the only player who won all the consecutive 5 titles at the US Open (2004–08). The dominant is also the only player to register at least ten titles on clay, grass, and hard courts. He also has won an all-time record of 71 hardcourt titles, 19 grass-court titles, and 11 clay-court titles. He also has the most number of records in tennis to his name.

Also Read: ATP Tour records: Most titles in tennis career (men's)

2. Jimmy Connors | 1560

Jimmy Connors, a No. 1 former American Tennis player, has played the second-highest number of till now. He has played 1560 matches and won 1275 matches of it. He too has a great winning percentage of 81.9%. Connors made a record during his time from 1974 to 1977 to hold the top Association of Tennis Professionals ranking for consecutive 160 weeks and a career total of 268 weeks. He is also the first male player to remain at the No. 1 for over 200 weeks. He has a male record of 109 singles titles and has won more matches than any other male professional tennis player in the open era. Connors has also won 16 doubles titles that include the men's doubles titles at Wimbledon in 1973 and the US Open in 1975.

1. Martina Navratilova | 1726

The player who has played most matches in tennis history is Martina Navratilova. She has played 1726 matches which is certainly an unbeatable record and she won 1442 matches with a winning percentage of 86.8%. She started playing in 1975 and ended the record of the most number of matches in 2005. In this time, she won 18 Grand Slam singles titles and won 167 titles (an Open Era record). She was at the top of the rankings for 331 weeks.

Artificial Intelligence has been improving the sports we watch and analyze for nearly the past 20 years, but the latest generation of ultra-modern AI tools is revolutionizing every aspect of sports, from improving player and team performances to ensuring safety along with fan engagement and the experiences.

AI can process and store large amounts of data, which allows us to gain insights that we couldn't see before. This capability is at the center of the revolution. For the players, this brings improved strategies, varied training methods, and a significantly lower risk of injury.

The fans enjoy a whole new level of engagement in the game, thanks to Al-powered platforms providing content tailored to them, such as virtual reality experiences and more.

The massive impact of AI in the Sports Industry

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing the Sports Industry rapidly by offering solutions to common problems such as individual performance, tactical requirements, injuries and recoveries, variations in training, etc.

The capacity of AI and GenAI tools to analyze complex data and provide instant insights is ushering in a new era of athletic performance and fan engagement as well.

From predictive analytics that improve player safety and performance to AI-powered viewing experiences for fans, the influence of artificial intelligence is setting the bar higher across the industry.

1. Player and team performance

GenAI can analyze team and player behavior to reach conclusions that would contribute to improved training and coaching. For example, they can monitor and analyze the movements of players with computer vision.

In this way, they can assess whether an athlete is moving wrongly or could be injured. Machine learning algorithms can watch game videos to identify patterns of the opposing team. Sports coaches can be made to develop wiser game plans and strategies by artificial intelligence.

Some techniques, including motion tracking and motion analysis, can capture changes in the posture, movement, or technique of a player that indicte fatigue or poor motor control.

According to a study by Grand View Research, the sports analytics market size was valued at $1.9 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $5.2 billion by 2028, showcasing the rapid growth and demand for advanced analytics tools in sports.

The following two tools are widely applicable to player and team analysis:

• SportVU: This system tracks detailed player and ball motion in a game with computer vision and machine learning. It can analyze shot mechanics, accelerations and decelerations, speed, and distance.
• KINEXON: This system tracks positional and motion data in real-time by equipping players with sensors.

2. Injury Prediction and Prevention

Injuries occur regularly in professional sports. Identifying and preventing injuries before they even occur is likely one of the most thrilling applications of AI.

Teams can utilize AI algorithms to monitor an individual's motion as they move their joints and strain their muscles. It can search for patterns or instabilities that signify an injury before the symptoms themselves appear.

AI can recognize a slight deviation in the amount of strain a soccer player puts on their knee joint and warn the coaches or medical staff. Way before the injury became acute enough to cause the player to miss games, the team could either give them rest or do exercises to help them recover.

A report by MarketsandMarkets estimates that the global sports medicine market, which incorporates AI-driven health monitoring solutions, is projected to reach $9.3 billion by 2026, underlining the significant role of AI in athlete well-being.

The following two tools could be used in the AI-powered prediction and prevention of injuries:

• Sparta Science: It uses computer vision and motion sensing in analyzing movement patterns of an athlete. Based on motion data, biomechanical deficiencies, and especially risks of increased injury, machine learning models are able to identify those. 
• Zone 7: It measures injury risk using factors such as workload, degree of fatigue, and others through artificial intelligence and research in sports science. Their methods take age, position, body composition, and medical history into account. 

3. Training Through AI-Powered Analytics and Wearables

Smartwatches and fitness trackers are examples of wearable technology that have become essential for tracking many of the parameters mentioned earlier.

Wearable GPS devices that can track athletes' speed and location, overall distance traveled, and movement patterns are available to provide relevant information.

Wearable heart rate monitors use optical sensors to measure blood flow in real-time, tracking the heart rate. This is an important aspect of monitoring heart health, fitness levels, and recovery. It also helps in tracking blood oxygen levels, which is another important component of modern-day fitness trackers. They use optical sensors to track the oxygen saturation level of blood.

Since the 2010s, Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs), such as GPS tracking vests, have been commonly used in professional sports. Such vests are offered with discrete and effective GPS tracking and sensors located on the back and shoulders; they are typically worn as tank tops.

In football and rugby, the vest is mainly utilized to track the location and movement of a player and, thereby, report strengths and weaknesses.

4. Sports Commentary and Reporting

Sports commentary and reporting can automatically be generated from match events and live data by employing natural language processing (NLP) methods like GPT-3. Artificially intelligent commentary not only comments on a strategy but also summarizes the critical events of match play. 

Similarly, GenAI can create such highlights, summaries, and post-match data reportage for viewing audiences as well.

NLP methods can make the commentary more dramatic and interesting by taking into account the game statistics and situations in real-time data. With the use of generated personalities and tones, it is possible to accommodate various fan interests in the coverage.

Automated GenAI reporting enhances sports coverage and commentary without losing interesting and captivating stories.

5. Sports Officiating

The use of AI in sports officiating is not without controversy, including traditional backlash and concerns regarding technology's influence on the game. Yet, the improvements it introduces, such as real-time analysis and decision support, are dramatically enhancing the accuracy and fairness of officiating.

Its capabilities to review plays from multiple angles and analyze them in seconds are proving invaluable in high-level games where every call matters.

Despite initial doubts, the use of AI in officiating is increasingly being accepted, with many seeing its potential to eliminate human error and ensure a level playing field.

As the technology improves and its uses extend, its role in assisting fair play and accuracy in sports is poised to increase, ushering in a new era in the use of technology and sportsmanship.

6. Player Scouting

Team owners are using artificial intelligence to review the performance of the players. To determine the most skilled people to invest in, they use data analysis using artificial intelligence. It takes millions of dollars to find talent in the sports world.

So, team owners would like to ensure that scouting one player is the best decision. Artificial intelligence is used widely in scouting players for any sport, be it cricket, football, or basketball.

AI-powered Change in Fan Engagement and Experiences

1. Personalized Fan Engagement

To provide customised fan experiences, GenAI algorithms can model the preferences and behaviours of audiences. Sports teams and broadcasters can use these insights to optimize engagement across media channels.

For example, social media platforms can deliver tailored video highlights, personalized promotions, and AI-recommended content to resonate with each fan.

The NBA revealed 'NB-AI', allowing fans to activate "movie mode" and watch live games animated like popular films, such as Spider-Man

pic.twitter.com/zb2IYT2YBX

— Dexerto (@Dexerto) February 16, 2024

Based on their past interactions and activities, the Generative AI identifies what content types, sports stats, and topics each fan finds most appealing. It creates and sends personalized content for each person. This level of customization, enabled by GenAI in sports, helps sports organizations connect more deeply with their audiences.

2. Viewing Experiences

GenAI can process live video to generate augmented reality (AR) overlays and graphics that enhance broadcasts or live streams.

For example, shot trajectories, real-time player stats, and situational analysis can be visualized and overlaid onto the gameplay footage. For virtual reality (VR), GenAI can create real-world simulated environments for an immersive in-game perspective.

The key innovation is using Generative AI to dynamically generate and adapt AR/VR overlays and environments on the fly, customized to each moment. As the narrative and action of the game shift, the GenAI-powered augmented experiences shift with them, elevating viewing to multidimensional engagement. 

A survey conducted by PwC found that 65% of sports fans are interested in using AR or virtual reality (VR) devices to watch sports, indicating a growing appetite for immersive experiences enabled by AI-driven technologies.

Conclusion

AI collaboration with sports is making the place safer as well as fairer. Predictive modeling and algorithms in AI are becoming a must for injury prevention. AI guarantees that more accuracy and fairness can be introduced in the outcome of a game by enhancing officiating. Both the aspects of performance and integrity are vital components in ensuring the prosperity and popularity of sports continue.

The impact of AI reaches sports journalism, advertising, and the creation of next-gen sports equipment, beyond the field or court. These innovations create new revenue streams and provide more exciting ways for fans to engage with their beloved sports and teams.

In this sense, artificial intelligence in the sports field could be said to be, by itself, a change not only for the athletes or for the coaches but for the sports system in general. With AI, the sports of the future could easily be foreseen because technology would harmoniously mix with manly athleticism at its highest levels.

The Australian Open is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments in tennis and is held annually in Melbourne, Australia.

The tournament has been held since 1905 and has seen some of the greatest players in the sport compete for the title. 

Also Read: Most matches won in Grand Slams by any player | Top 10 List

In this article, we will brief you on the Australian Open winners list (Men).

Jannik Sinner claims Australian Open 2025 title

Jannik Sinner won the latest edition of the Australian Open after defeating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3. 

With this, the Italian becomes the first man to retain the title since Novak Djokovic’s “three-peat” from 2019 to 2021.

Aged 23 years 163 days, Sinner is also the youngest man to win multiple Australian Open titles since Jim Courier in 1992-93.

Djokovic won the most titles

Over the last decade, the tournament has been dominated by Novak Djokovic who has won the tournament ten times in this period (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023).

The only other players to win the tournament in this time are Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka. 

Djokovic's record in the tournament is impressive, with his ten wins coming in a consecutive period of 11 years.

He has been able to defeat some of the greatest players in the world, such as Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, in the final of the tournament.

Djokovic also has two hat-tricks of Australian Open titles, once between 2011-2013 and then doing an encore from 2019-2021.

The Serbian’s first Australian Open crown came in 2008, when he came from a set down to beat Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6.

Djokovic has beaten Andy Murray in as many as four Australian Open finals while he has also beaten Rafael Nadal in two finals.

Also Read: Tennis Stats: Players to win back-to-back Grand Slam titles without losing

Roger Federer won the title twice in last decade 

On the other hand, Roger has won the Australian Open twice in the last decade, in 2017 and 2018. 

He has been a finalist in the tournament five times in this period, showing his consistency at the tournament. 

While Stan Wawrinka has won the Australian Open once, in 2014. He defeated Rafael Nadal in the final, who was the defending champion at the time. 

This win was a major upset and Wawrinka proved that he is capable of winning the biggest tournaments in the world.

It is interesting to note that, in the last decade, the men's singles of the Australian Open has been dominated by Swiss players, with four out of the ten titles won by either Roger Federer or Stan Wawrinka.

While Novak Djokovic, another Swiss player, has dominated the tournament with 10 titles. This shows the strength of Swiss players in the tennis world, particularly on hard courts.

Australian Open Winners list (Men)

The Grand Slam tournaments, also known as majors are the most important Tennis tournament. It is also considered as the world's four most important annual professional tennis tournaments.

Grand Slam is referred to the achievement of winning all four major championships in the same calendar year. The four Grand Slam championships are the Australian Open, French Open, Us Open and Wimbledon.

That's why it is also called the "Calendar-year Grand Slam" or "Calendar Slam". Players get most ranking points, prize money, public and media attention in this prestigious Tennis tournament.

Also Read: Most Matches Played in Grand Slam

So let's have a tour of the most matches won in Grand slams from top 10 list.

Most matches won in Grand Slams

10. John McEnroe | 167

John McEnroe, the American former Tennis player is in the 10th place of the top ten list of most matches won in Grand Slams.

Between 1977 and 1992 John McEnroe won 167 Grand Slam men’s singles matches.

The majority of his wins came at Wimbledon and the US Open with McEnroe sporting an 18-5 record at the Australian Open and a 25-10 record at the French Open.

He has won seven Grand Slam singles title including four at the US Open and three at Wimbledon.

Besides, he has won nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles- five at Wimbledon and four at the US Open and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title at the French Open.

He made a record of 82-3 in singles.

9. Stefan Edberg | 178

Stefan Edberg is the master of the serve-and-volley style in tennis. The former Swedish tennis player once served as a coach for the defending champion Roger Federer.

Edberg has won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam men's doubles titles between 1985 and 1996.

Edberg claimed his personal high tally (56 match wins) at the Australian Open, playing the event at two different venues.

Although both his titles in Melbourne came on the grass courts of the Kooyong Stadium.

8. Andy Murray | 200

The British professional Tennis player was coached by his mother alongside with his brother.

Murray crossed the 200 threshold at the 2023 US Open and is one of two players entered into that tournament on this list.

He has won three Grand Slam singles title- two at Wimbledon and one at the US Open. He has reached eleven major finals.

Besides, Murray has won 46 ATP singles title, including 14 ATP Masters 1000 events.

7. Pete Sampras | 203

Pete Sampras, the American former tennis player was once named 'Pistol Pete' for his precise and powerful serve.

He has won 14 major singles titles- seven Wimbledon titles, two Australian Open and a joint Open Era record five US Open titles.

At his home Slam he would end on 71 match wins going out on a winning streak.

Also read: Federer vs Nadal vs Djokovic: Grand slam titles in detail

6. Ivan Lendl | 222

Ivan Lendl was the player from Czechoslovakia but later he obtained American citizenship. He is recognized as one of the greatest tennis player of all time.

Lendl was all out on 222 as he rounded off his 17-year professional career.

He won 205 matches at Grand Slam tournaments representing Czechoslovakia and 17 matches after his defection to the United States.

The former professional tennis player has achieved eight major singles titles and played 19 major finals.

He was runner-up a joint record 11 times, tied with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

5. Andre Agassi | 224

The American world No.1 tennis player, Andre Agassi has to retire early from tennis as he was suffering from Sciatica. Still he has made many achievements in his tennis career.

He is the eight-time champion of major singles titles. He is an Olympic gold medalist as well as runner-up of seven other majors.

Agassi finished his career second on this list but would later be overtaken by the members of the big three.

4. Jimmy Connors | 233

Jimmy Connors was the second man in the Open Era to win three major titles in a calendar year.

Though he didn't permit to play the fourth major. The American former tennis player has achieved eight major singles titles- five US Open, two Wimbledons and one Australian Open.

Before the big three, Jimmy Connors held an impressive Grand Slam match win tally that some thought was unsurpassable.

3. Rafael Nadal | 314

Rafael Nadal has won 22 major singles titles. The right-handed player's main strength is his forehand.

The Spanish tennis player has a record of 14 French Open titles. Besides, he has won 92 ATP singles titles and 36 Masters titles.

He has won 112 matches at Roland Garros, a mark that will truly take some beating.

His 97% win rate at Roland Garros would stand out in any era but considering the kind of opponents he came up against he is the King of Clay.

2. Novak Djokovic | 361

The Serbian tennis player, Novak Djokovic dominate the men's Tennis. He is the most consistent player of this era.

Currently second but almost certainly odds on to finish his career atop this and many other lists is Novak Djokovic.

He claimed his 361st Grand Slam win in the final of the US Open in 2023.

Djokovic has achieved record 24 major singles titles and made a record of winning more than 80 matches in four Grand Slams.

He is the only man to complete a non-calendar year Grand Slam and the first man in the Open Era to achieve a double career Grand Slam.

Djokovic could even pull in Nadal’s 112 match wins at Roland Garros, although that would mean playing until at least 2026.

Also Read: Tennis Stats: Players to win back-to-back Grand Slam titles without losing

1. Roger Federer | 369

Roger Federer also dominate the men's tennis along with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. The three of them are known as the 'Big Three'.

Federer blazed his way to 369 Grand Slam match wins across his incredible career.

Also Read: Roger Federer: A Look At The Career Of One Of The Best Tennis Players

The Swiss tennis player has won 20 major singles titles and a record six-year Wimbledon titles. he break Pete Sampras' record of 14 major singles titles at Wimbledon in 2009.

His final Grand Slam match was his defeat to Hubert Hurkacz at the 2021 edition of Wimbledon.

To play at a consistent level at Grand Slams is a very difficult task. Rod Laver and Novak Djokovic are the two contrasting examples. In the Open Era, Rod Laver won 4 majors consecutively in 1969 and Novak Djokovic won 4 majors from mid-2015 to mid-2016. 

Also Read: Most Matches Played in Grand Slam

Let's take a look at the tennis Stats of players who won back-to-back Grand Slam titles without losing.

Tennis Stats | Players to win back-to-back Grand Slams

Rod Laver | 4 

Rod Laver knows what it takes to complete tennis’ ultimate achievement, having won the Grand Slam as an amateur in 1962 and again as a pro in 1969. He defeated Tony Roche in the US Open final (7-9, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2) to win a fourth consecutive major title. Laver won the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open in the same calendar year (1969), which still stands as a unique achievement in the Open era.

As a professional Laver was banned from playing the Grand Slam tournaments as well as other tournaments. In 1968, Laver was again able to compete. During his career, he won eleven Grand Slam tournaments, eight Pro Slam tournaments, and five Davis Cup titles. He was also the first player to win four consecutive Grand Slams in the same calendar year in 1962.

Novak Djokovic | 4

Novak Djokovic also achieved four consecutive Grand Slam titles. He won the last two majors of 2015 (Wimbledon and US Open) and the first two Slams of 2016 (Australian Open and French Open). By winning the title in Paris in 2016, Djokovic completed a 'Career Grand Slam' (winning all four major tournaments), the fourth man to do so in the open era after Andre Agassi (1999), Roger Federer (2009) and Rafael Nadal (2010). He also completed a golden slam in 2023 when he won all four grand slams and the Olympic games. 

Djokovic is the first man to win 24 Slam titles. He has tied Margaret Court for the most ever of any player in any era. Djokovic also won 10 Australian Open, which makes him the record holder for the most titles at that tournament. 

Also Read: Grand Slam Records: Most Grand Slam Finals in Men's Tennis

Swiss tennis great Roger Federer wrote an emotional letter on the retirement of his close friend Rafael Nadal. Rafa, 22 Grand Slam winner, announced his retirement only last month at Davis Cup final in Málaga, Spain.

Also Read: Oldest Grand Slam Champion | Top 10 List

Federer, 43, who retired two years ago after winning 20 major titles, wrote, “As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional. 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 recalled their first meeting

Federer and Nadal had the greatest rivalry in the history of the sport. They first faced each other in Miami in 2004, where the Spaniard defeated then world No. 1 Federer 6-3, 6-3 in the round of 32.

Recalling their first meeting, Federer said, “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 praised Nadal's skills on clay and thanked him for making him a better player. He wrote, “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."

The 'Fedal' rivalry

Notably, the 'Fedal' rivalry has seen some of the most spectacular tennis matches, including the Wimbledon 2008 final, in which Nadal defeated Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7. In total, they faced each other 40 times, with Nadal holding the head-to-head record 24–16.

“I keep thinking about the memories we’ve shared. Promoting the sport together. Playing that match on half-grass, half-clay. Breaking the all-time attendance record by playing in front of more than 50,000 fans in Cape Town, South Africa. Always cracking each other up. Wearing each other out on the court and then, sometimes, almost literally having to hold each other up during trophy ceremonies." Federer added.

Also Read: Most Olympic Gold medals in Tennis history (Men's)

Nadal was on the same side on Federer's last match

In Federer's last professional tennis match, Rafael Nadal was on the same side of the court as the two paired up to play a doubles match at the Laver Cup in London in 2022. After the match, a photo of Federer and Nadal sitting on the bench, holding hands and crying, went viral on social media.

“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,”