'You challenged me in ways no one else could': Roger Federer's special message on Rafael Nadal's retirement

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.

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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.

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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,”