Rafael Nadal expressed his thoughts and emotions about the retirement of his long-time rival, Roger Federer.
Roger Federer, in an announcement yesterday, put an end to his professional tennis career. Federer is arguably the greatest tennis player in the history of the game, with 103 ATP titles to his name, including 20 grand slams. The retirement of the 40-year-old Swiss Maestro was looming in the corner for quite some time now. After missing out on a year’s worth of events since Wimbledon 2021 due to multiple injuries, Federer finally announced his plan to retire after the 2022 Laver Cup.
To my tennis family and beyond,
With Love,
Roger pic.twitter.com/1UISwK1NIN— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
During the course of his illustrious career that spanned nearly two eras, his biggest rival on the tour was the Spaniard, Rafael Nadal. Together with Novak Djokovic, they dominated the tennis world since the 2000s. Despite being rivals on the court, Nadal and Federer became increasingly friendly over the years. Following his long-time rival’s retirement, the 36-year-old took to Twitter to deliver a heartfelt message to his friend.
“Dear Roger, my friend, and rival. I wish this day would have never come. It’s a sad day for me personally and for sports around the world. It’s been a pleasure but also an honor and privilege to share all these years with you, living so many amazing moments on and off the court,” wrote Nadal.
Dear Roger,my friend and rival.
I wish this day would have never come. It’s a sad day for me personally and for sports around the world.
It’s been a pleasure but also an honor and privilege to share all these years with you, living so many amazing moments on and off the court ????????— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) September 15, 2022
“We will have many more moments to share together in the future… For now, I truly wish you all the happiness with your wife, Mirka, your kids, your family, and enjoy what’s ahead of you…”
Both Nadal and Federer are set to play in the 2022 Laver Cup, starting on the 23rd of September in London. The fans and the players alike are looking forward to the tournament as they prepare to bid farewell to the biggest name in modern tennis.
