“You challenged me in a way that no one else could.”

The day that begins Davis Cup Final 2024and this may be the last of my career Rafa Nadalhis eternal rival and friend Roger Federer He posted an emotional farewell letter in which he talks about the rivalry that brought them together on the court and the friendship they shared.

“Let’s start with the obvious: you’ve beaten me many times. More than I managed to beat you,” Federer begins, referring to the history of confrontations between them: 16 victories for him and 24 for Nadal.

“You challenged me in a way that no one else could. On clay it was like I was playing at your house and you made me work harder than I ever thought possible just to maintain my position,” he admits. “You made me rethink my tennis, even to the point of changing my racquet size in hopes of gaining some kind of advantage.

In his letter to Rafa Nadal, Federer recalls the first confrontation between the two in the third round of the 2004 Miami Masters 1000, shortly after the Swiss became world number one for the first time.

“It was the first time I was ranked number one since the 2004 Australian Open. I thought I was on top of the world. But two months later, when you walked onto the court in Miami in that red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me so convincingly,” Federer recalls of the fight, which Nadal won at 18 with a 6-3 double score.

“Everything I heard about you, about this incredible young player from Mallorca, a generational talent who might one day win a Grand Slam, was no exaggeration,” adds the Swiss tennis player.

It was the beginning of a rivalry that eventually blossomed into friendship and marked the careers of two of the best tennis players of all time.

“We were both at the beginning of our journey, which we ended up going through together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I must say: what an incredible career you have had,” he says, highlighting his 14 Roland Garros titles. At the French Open they met six times (four finals and two semi-finals), all with the Mallorcans winning.

“You made Spain proud… You made the whole tennis world proud,” Federer says. “You made me enjoy the game even more.”