The wait for the 2025 Laver Cup ends here. Over the next three days, fans are set to witness some thrilling battles among the top stars in the world in San Francisco. The likes of Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, and others will take the court and fans are in for a thriller. Moreover, this tournament holds a special place for some of the legends of the game. Three years back, Roger Federer announced his retirement after playing his last game here alongside Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard, too, has had some special memories and reminisced about one such moment while wishing his team ahead of the tournament.

Nadal is weighing behind Team Europe and hopes that they can defend their title. He is confident in the likes of Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, and Holger Rune, who will lead the team’s charge in the three-day event. Hours ago, Nadal took to his official X handle to share a special message for Team Europe, as he wished them good luck for the tournament. Nadal wrote, “Good luck Team Europe! And don’t forget: “𝘼𝙣𝙮 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨.”! “

The finger-crossing incident stems from the 2019 event, when Nadal looked puzzled as his doubles partner, Stefanos Tsitsipas, crossed his fingers before a point. During the mid-game interval, Nadal was heard saying to Tsitsipas, “We need to be a little bit more clear with the finger… I didn’t understand where you go.” Later, Tsitsipas explained what he meant while crossing his fingers, but Nadal wanted the current team to send out clear signals to their partners during their matches.

Meanwhile, Team Europe boasts predominantly of singles stars, who have rarely played doubles. The doubles matches can get tricky for them as they have comparatively less experience of playing this format, and will take time to find the best pairing. Thus, Nadal’s advice was crucial.

Further, Nadal bid adieu to tennis last year after two decades of service to the sport. He has had a strong association with the Laver Cup, and the tournament officials also posted a heartfelt message as Nadal retired from tennis.

Rafael Nadal will be greatly missed

With Federer strongly invested in the Laver Cup, he also invited Nadal to play in the event during its formation years. While Nadal made sure to never miss this event, his journey came to an end last year. Even in exhibition events like the Laver Cup, Nadal displayed tremendous zeal and determination for the sport, something which left the CEO of the Laver Cup, Tony Godsick, in awe.

During an interview, he paid a heartfelt tribute to Nadal, saying, “Nadal’s unparalleled sportsmanship, unwavering commitment, and deep sense of camaraderie have been the hallmarks of his extraordinary career. Whether he was fiercely competing or standing in support of his teammates, Rafa’s passion for the game and his leadership inspired everyone around him. His presence, both on and off the court, will be greatly missed.”

Interestingly, this might not be the end of Nadal as Federer teased about the Senior’s Tour, which will see retired legends take the court. While nothing has been finalized yet, fans could see Federer and Nadal reigniting their rivalry if this Tour plan does materialize.