A few hours before a Davis Cup duel which could be the last professional match of Rafael Nadalits great historical rival Roger Federer judged this Tuesday on social networks that the Mallorcan had “made the entire tennis world proud.“
“You made me work harder than I ever imagined (…) You forced me to reinvent my game (…) You made me appreciate tennis even more (…) What an incredible career you have had“, congratulated the former Swiss world number one on the social network
“You made Spain proud… You made the entire tennis world proud“, he complimented him again, two years after being the first player in the Big 3 (Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic) to put away his rackets.
Rightly referring to his own farewell to London, where he played a doubles and cried with the Spaniard, Federer judged this Tuesday that this day of 2022 “would forever remain one of the most beautiful moments of (his) career.“
“Rafa, I know you are focused on the home stretch of your extraordinary career” with a Davis Cup quarter-final against the Netherlands scheduled for this Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. in Malaga. “We’ll talk once this is over“, wrote the Swiss legend, winner of 20 Grand Slams, without confirming his presence at Nadal’s farewell in Malaga.
“I still think about the memories we shared. This match on a half grass, half clay court. This attendance record was broken when we played in front of more than 50,000 spectators in Cape Town, South Africa. All the times we exhausted each other on the court, sometimes to the point where we literally had to support each other during the trophy ceremony“, listed Federer.
“I just want you to know that your old friend is still there to encourage you, and will encourage you just as much in what you do next.” a professional career spanning 23 years and marked by 22 Grand Slam titles, including a record 14 at Roland-Garros.
Belgium
