19 years after their first meeting, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have come a long way! In the world of sports, where rivalry often takes center stage, a beautiful friendship stole the limelight. After shaking the whole tennis arena by teaming up with the ‘King of Clay’ last year, Federer revealed the actual status of their friendship.

Recently, as the 20-time Grand Slam champion was in China to attend the 2023 Shanghai Masters, he talked in detail about his bond with the Spaniard. Every tennis fan has witnessed Federer and Nadal’s rivalry on the court, but the real question is whether their relationship extends beyond it. Let’s find out.

Roger Federer made a huge disclosure regarding his bond with Rafael Nadal

Recently, the Swiss legend was felicitated with the Icon Athletic Award during his recent trip to China. After that, he also joined the ATP Tennis Radio Podcast for detailed conversations and talked about his professional life. Subsequently, in that brief conversation, he also discussed his close friend and rival Nadal’s energy on the tennis court.

He also made the startling admission that he knew all about his rivals’ on-court prowess but little about their personalities off the court. He made a parallel between himself and his arch-rival after likening the 22-time Grand Slam winner’s demeanor to that of a tiger in a cage on the courts.

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He said, “I don’t know Rafa enough off-site, but he’s like a tiger in the cage whenever I see him at the courts. I feel I’m very relaxed on & off-site. He has incredible intensity, he’s always warming up, he’s always going around & there’s always much stuff to do for him & he’s preparing & you can feel like there’s always a match on his mind.”

“But I guess, to some extent, I may be more calm & more relaxed whereas he goes, especially through the tennis days in a more intense way when he’s on-site,” he added. Apart from that, just a day ago, Federer also recalled the nerve-racking encounters he had against his arch-rival and close friend.

When Federer recalled his intense tennis rivalry with Nadal

Both tennis titans have met each other 40 times on the tennis court, with Nadal winning more. Federer recently discussed whether he misses competing against the Spaniard on the ATP Tour after playing 40 matches and thrilling all of their fans.

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He expressed his happiness at no longer having to play his fiercest rival on the ATP tour during a recent interview in China. Even the Shanghai Masters held many memories because, prior to Federer’s retirement in 2022, they played three times each in the Asian country.

We will never see the two tennis legends play against each other again. Their on-court rivalry will definitely be missed in the tennis arena forever.

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