At the start of 2020, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal played an exhibition match in South Africa. This match set a record for the most number of attendees at a tennis match. In a recent interview, Roger’s agent Tony Godsick revealed how it was to work with Rafa and the relationship between Rafa and Roger. Check it out.

Tony Godsick On Roger Federer And Rafael Nadal

Tony Godsick was asked how it was to work with Rafael Nadal in making the exhibition match a success. He said,

“Carlos Costa —Rafa’s agent—and I worked together at IMG for years. I’ve known Rafa since he started out on tour, but because of the rivalry, we’ve all become close.”

After a rivalry that has lasted for more than 15 years, it is no surprise they are all very close. This led Godsick to talk about Roger and Rafa’s relationship. He said,

“The relationship between Roger and Rafa has evolved to the extent where those two are really, really close. They’re fierce competitors on the court, and they always will be. But the minute the match is over and even during the match, they have so much respect for each other.”

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Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have always had a great relationship despite being rivals. This relationship is why Rafa agreed to the exhibition and understood the reason for it. According to Godsick, Rafa understood that it was more than a 2-day fundraiser but a way to inspire a new generation of players.

They probably did inspire a lot of people as the match was an astounding success. It raised a lot of money for children’s education in Africa and also entertained over 50,000 people that attended the event.

Roger Federer will do more events like this in the future and it is likely that Rafael Nadal will be a part of them because of the great relationship they have.