From their debut at the highest level, notably in 2004, after Roger’s first success at the Australian Open, he thought he was at the top of the world until the sudden arrival of the Majorcan: “You walked onto the court in Miami in your sleeveless red t-shirt, showing off your biceps, and beat me convincingly. All this buzz I had heard about you, about this incredible young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, who was probably going to win a major tournament one day, wasn’t just hype“.
Rafael Nadal’s crazy week in Belgium: “Telephone scam, dirty laundry, Real match, lost cell phone, but above all kindness and availability”
“And you know what, Rafa, you made me appreciate the game even more“, he continues.
The opportunity for Roger to remember the most beautiful shared memories: “Promoting sport together. The match played on a half-grass, half-clay field. All-time record attendance playing in front of over 50,000 fans in Cape Town, South Africa. We always made each other laugh. We exhausted ourselves on the pitch and, at times, had to support each other during trophy ceremonies“.
“Rafa, I know you are focused on the home stretch of your epic career. We’ll talk about it when it’s finished. For now, I just want to congratulate your family and your team, who have all played a major role in your success. And I want you to know that your old friend is still cheering for you and will be just as cheering for whatever you do next.“.
“This behavior marked me”: Olivier Rochus, who beat Rafael Nadal in 2002 on clay, remembers…
