The Wimbledon championship is almost here. Although the grass-court Grand Slam had a fair share of controversies this year, it still draws the attention of the tennis world. The tournament is all set to start tomorrow, and the winner of this year’s first two Grand Slams, Rafael Nadal, will appear in Wimbledon after a break of three years.

During the pre-tournament press conference, the 22-time Grand Slam champion spoke about his relationship with Swiss tennis maestro Roger Federer.

Rafael Nadal on Roger Federer’s influence

Answering a question about his relationship with Federer, the legendary Spaniard stressed upon the long rivalry the two have shared.

“In the tennis, the last 15 -20 years be without thinking about the rivalry that we have because we have been playing in every big stadium,” he said.

Further, the Spaniard explained how playing with someone better than you helps you to improve.

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“In some way, it’s easier to have a way to improve when you have an example in front that is better than you…,” he concluded.

Nadal vs Federer

Nadal and Federer are arguably two of the all-time best tennis players. While Federer has 20 Grand Slams to his name, the Spaniard added two more this year and now has 22. Talking about their head-to-head record, Nadal leads by a fair margin. In the 40 matches they faced each other, Federer has won 16 while Nadal has triumphed on 24 occasions.

Although the record is in favor of the Spaniard, Federer has been extraordinary at Wimbledon. In the grass court Grand Slam, the 40-year-old has won a record 8 titles, whereas Nadal has only two. However, with the Swiss legend missing this year’s tournament, Nadal will be looking to claim a third straight Grand Slam this year.

Watch this story: Epic Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic encounters at the French Open

Notably, this is the first time since 1998 that Federer will be missing out on the Wimbledon Championship.

Who do you think will win the title this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.