Roger Federer – Rafael Nadal bids emotional goodbye to rivals: ‘Wish this day had never come’

“Dear Roger, my friend and rival,” the 36-year-old Spaniard introduced his soulful dedication and thanked Federer: “It was a pleasure, but also an honor and a privilege to share all these years with you and so many great moments experience on and off the pitch.”

Nadal and Federer have faced each other 40 times on the ATP tour, nine of them in a Grand Slam final – most recently at the Australian Open in 2017, when Federer celebrated the 18th of his 20 major titles.

“Rafael would not have been so strong without Roger. He had to keep raising his level. Together with Djokovic, everyone improved the level of play of the others,” uncle Toni Nadal also ennobled the 41-year-old Swiss.

Last duel 2019 in Wimbledon

Federer and Nadal met for the first time in Miami in 2004, for the last time three years ago in Wimbledon. Federer made it into the final with a 7: 6, 1: 6, 6: 3, 6: 4, but lost there to Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller.

Now Nadal is looking forward to encounters off the pitch.

“We will share many more moments together in the future, there are still many things we can do together we know,” Nadal wrote.

Nadal is happy: “I’ll see you in London”

“For the moment, I really wish you all the happiness with your wife Mirka, your children and your family and enjoy what lies ahead,” said Nadal.

A grand finale that not only tennis fans long for. “See you in London,” Nadal wrote.