Roger Federer took to his official social media account on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, to appreciate Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard’s last competitive game of his career will be at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga this week where he will be representing Spain.
“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. 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. 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.”
