Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal caught up at the Spanish star’s tennis academy recently, but while the two are now great friends, they were also fierce rivals.
Rafael Nadal once had a heated exchange with his biggest rival, Roger Federer, over the packed tennis calendar. This happened at the Australian Open in 2012, despite their long-standing friendship formed through years of on-court battles.
While both dominated men’s singles for nearly two decades alongside Novak Djokovoic, their luck at the Australian Open has been quite different. Before his 2022 victory, Nadal had only won the tournament once in 2009, while Federer clinched the title six times between 2004 and 2018.
Nadal’s frustrations seemed to peak in 2012 when he voiced concerns about the number of games players are expected to play on the ATP Tour, which he believed was affecting their fitness levels. He was particularly annoyed at Federer for not supporting him on this issue, which led to a fiery outburst from Nadal after Federer refused to comment on the matter during a pre-tournament press conference that year.
Clearly upset, he aimed his anger at his long-time rival, criticizing Federer for his perceived indifference. Nadal said: “For him it’s good to say nothing. Everything positive. ‘It’s all well and good for me, I look like a gentleman,’ and the rest can burn themselves.
“Everyone is entitled to have their own opinions,” he continued, standing firm on his stance. “I love the game and there are a lot of things I’m grateful for. The game has allowed me to lead a fantastic lifestyle. But to finish your career with pain all over your body, is that a positive?”
Answering his own question, Nadal expressed concern for his future health: “No. Maybe [Federer] has got a super body and he’ll finish his career like a rose. Neither myself, nor [Andy] Murray, nor [Novak] Djokovic are going to finish our careers like a rose.
Highlighting the differences between himself, Murray and Djokovic compared to Federer, he took one last swipe at his rival for his lack of support on the issue: “We’re not like him [Federer] where it’s effortless to play. For all of us, it’s a battle.”
As their careers blossomed, it became clear that the initial dispute between the tennis legends was short-lived. They even partnered in the Laver Cup for Federer’s last professional match in 2022 and more recently, Federer was a visitor to Nadal’s academy in Spain.
The once-rival duo who clashed 40 times in thrilling battles atop the men’s game ended their rivalry on a united note.
Speaking about their friendship evolution, Nadal said: “We have never had any big issues and always respected each other and our families too. But our personal relationship has got better and better over the years, and we approach life in a similar way.”
