“I just hope he can go out on his terms and the way he wants to, um, but he’s a great guy, great career,” said Roger Federer, back in September, reflecting on Rafael Nadal’s illustrious career. The King of Clay is going to hang up his racket after the final appearance in the Davis Cup match against the Netherlands. Hardcore fans are already feeling an irreplaceable void right now. Moreover, the Swiss Maestro has also come forward to share his true and honest feelings for his long-time friend and tennis arch-rival.

Federer took to his Instagram, on November 19th, and shared a letter, dedicated to Rafael Nadal. “As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional,” he began. While showering praise on Rafa for his universal dominance at the Roland Garros, he wrote, “On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could just to hold my ground. You made me reimagine my game.”

It’s worth noting that Nadal won a total of 14 French Open titles in his career, out of his 22 Grand Slams! Moreover, Roger also highlighted that Nadal “made the whole tennis world proud.” On a lighter note, he mentioned the time when he sent his children to Nadal’s own academy. Although he was very happy, the only thing that was worrying him the most was whether his children would come back as “lefties”, just like Rafa.

While sharing the moments from his own final match, back in 2022 during the Laver Cup, Roger revealed he was extremely happy that day. He felt fortunate to play alongside Nadal in his last outing. It was a special occasion as they were playing as partners, not opponents. “It meant everything to me that you were there by my side— not as my rival but as my doubles partner. Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career,” he wrote.

Federer’s emotional letter resulted in an outburst of emotions as fans shared their feelings as well. Among them were two notable people – Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal’s sister Maribel Nadal.

Alcaraz shared a crying emoji in the comments while trying to control his emotions. On the other hand, Maribel shared Roger’s letter in her Instagram story, dated November 19th. Tagging the Swiss Maestro, she put up a crying emoji with a heart. She expressed her gratitude towards the 20-time Grand Slam champion. This letter, however, is not the first time when Federer opened his heart in admiring Nadal.

When Roger Federer confessed how Rafael Nadal made a big impact on his career

Back in 2018, during an interview with Perform, Roger admitted that Nadal always pushed him to his limits. Eventually, the highly competitive nature of the Spaniard inspired him to get even better on the court. “Well, Rafa has had such a big impact on my sporting career. When I came onto the stage I was trying to find my way to world number one. Later on, he finally arrived in a big way because he was one of the best teenagers of all time, besides Bjorn Borg,” he said. Federer knew within his heart that Nadal would be his “legitimate rival” for years to come. “I’m forever thankful to Rafa, he definitely made me a better player. Today I can also call him a friend,” he added.

Last year as well, Federer had penned a message for Nadal. It was during the time when the Spaniard was working on his comeback in 2024. He had sustained a hip injury at the start of 2023. “I hope that Rafa can come back very strong next year,” he said.

As of now, everyone is waiting impatiently to witness Nadal in his final appearance at the Davis Cup. On Tuesday, he will represent Spain in the singles against the Netherlands. Nadal has a phenomenal singles record of 29-1 in his dream run at the Davis Cup. Moreover, he’s already led Spain to title victory five times. 2019 was the last time when Spain won the title. Do you think Nadal will help them lift the title again? Let us know in the comments below.