"I want you to know that your old friend is always cheering for you": Roger Federer pens heartfelt tribute for retiring rival Rafael Nadal

Former world number one Roger Federer has penned an emotional letter to pay tribute to his former rival and now close friend Rafael Nadal. The 38-year-old is regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men’s tennis in the singles category after having won 22 Grand Slam titles, has already announced that he would retire from professional tennis after the upcoming Davis Cup.

Former world number one Federer, who has been a close friend of the Spaniard and his fiercest rival during his playing days, has penned an emotional letter to pay tribute to the 22-time Grand Slam winner. Both players faced off 40 times in professional tennis where Nadal had a clear advantage as he emerged victorious on 24 occasions and suffered 16 defeats. Their last meeting on the court came in the semifinal at Wimbledon 2019 where the Swiss legendary tennis star came out on top with a score of 7-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Federer, who himself retired from the sport in 2022, later touched on a number of topics while praising the former world number one. The 43-year-old congratulated Nadal on his special career and, in particular, for winning 14 French Open titles, which is also why he is also known as the ‘King of Clay’. Federer highlighted how special it was to be with the Spaniard in the same team during his last on-court appearance in the Laver Cup two years back. Federer further went on to wish the best of luck to his friend and assured him that he would be cheering for him on his last outing and also in the future as well.

“As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional,” wrote Federer. “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. And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more. After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the #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. Then there was London—the Laver Cup in 2022. My final match. It meant everything to me that you were there by my side—not as my rival but as my doubles partner. Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career. Rafa, I know you’re focused on the last stretch of your epic career. We will talk when it’s done. For now, I just want to congratulate your family and team, who all played a massive role in your success. And I want you to know that your old friend is always cheering for you, and will be cheering just as loud for everything you do next.”