Roger Federer tells friend and rival Rafael Nadal that he made him enjoy tennis more
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Roger Federer says Rafael Nadal made him enjoy tennis “even more” during a rivalry that spanned 40 matches over 15 years. Writing on social media Tuesday, hours before the start of the Davis Cup Final 8, Nadal's last event before heading into retirement, Federer began his message with the word “Vamos” and said: “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. Still, Federer told Nadal in his post, referring to him by the nickname Rafa: “You made me enjoy the game even more.” They helped form the Big Three of men's tennis along with Novak Djokovic, who is still active at age 37 and has won a men's-record 24 major trophies. you made the whole tennis world proud.” When Federer left the sport by playing a doubles match at the Laver Cup in September 2022, his partner was Nadal.