Malaga, Spain

It will be the end of an era in the tennis fraternity as legendary Spanish star Rafael Nadal edges closer to his farewell. Scheduled to play for Spain in the Davis Cup 2024 quarterfinal against the Netherlands, it will be Nadal’s final competitive tournament having announced the same in September. Ahead of his farewell tournament, 20-time Grand Slam champion and a close friend of Nadal, Roger Federer took to his social media handle to pay tribute to an illustrious career.

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Federer pens emotional note to Nadal  

"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,” a detailed letter from Federer read.

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Two years ago at the Laver Cup, Nadal was seen in tears which dropped curtains on Federer’s career. The two were seen hugging and sharing time on court as the Federer bowed out of the sport. With Nadal now hanging his racket, the eight-time Wimbledon champion recalled a glorious career where they met on multiple occasions.

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Nadal’s legacy lives on

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A 22-time Grand Slam champion, the Spaniard was nicknamed King of Clay for his outright dominance at the French Open. The 38-year-old won an astonishing 14 titles in the French capital and only ever lost four matches. He twice won the Australian Open and Wimbledon, highlighting his dominance on all surfaces. He won four US Open singles titles while also winning the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medal to complete a gold slam.

Nadal is also a five-time Davis Cup winner with Spain, having won his last honour in 2019. His last Grand Slam title win at the 2022 Australian Open also saw him become the most successful men’s singles tennis player, only to be overtaken by Novak Djokovic, now residing with 24 Grand Slam titles.