You made me reimagine my game: Roger Federer fanboys Rafael Nadal in goodbye post

The time has come to bid adieu to Rafa Nadal, as he braces for the last tournament of his storied career — a Davis Cup quarter-final between Spain and Netherlands, which got underway in Malaga today, 19 November.

The mood among his legion of fans is sombre — and leading the chorus of tributes is none other than Roger Federer, his greatest rival. Indeed, the Swiss master’s long, heartfelt message on X has taken social media by storm.

Between them, Federer and Nadal have shared 42 major titles (Nadal 22, Federer 20), and statistics tell you that the Spaniard has got the better of the former 24 times in 40 clashes. However, their journey over two decades — ever since they first played each other at the Miami Open in 2004 — has given birth to one of the most enduring rivalries in the sport... and forged a bond of mutual respect and friendship along the way.

‘’As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional,’’ Federer writes to Rafa.

Scenes from the 2022 Laver Cup, which marked Federer’s farewell match, are still vivid in fans’ memories, where the two greats sobbed inconsolably together.

The emotional quotient will be high this time as well, though Nadal said in his media conference: ‘’If I’m on the court, I hope to control my emotions. I’m not here to retire, I’m here to help the team win.’’

Federer kicked off with Nadal’s superior head-to-head record in his post:

‘’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.

‘’You made me reimagine my game — even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge. I’m not a very superstitious person, but you took it to the next level. Your whole process. All those rituals.

‘’Assembling your water bottles like toy soldiers in formation, fixing your hair, adjusting your underwear... All of it with the highest intensity. Secretly, I kind of loved the whole thing. Because it was so unique — it was so you,’’ writes Federer.

Generational talent

‘’And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more.

“OK, maybe not at first. After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the No. 1 ranking for the first time. I thought I was on top of the world. And I was — until two months later, when you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly. All that buzz I’d been hearing about you — about this amazing young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, probably going to win a major someday — it wasn’t just hype.

‘’We were both at the start of our journey and it’s one we ended up taking together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I have to say: What an incredible run you’ve had. Including 14 French Opens — historic! You made Spain proud ... you made the whole tennis world proud.’’