Rafael Nadal’s Father Admitted His Biggest Fear After Son’s Heart-Breaking Loss to Roger Federer in 2007

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer‘s rivalry on the court needs no introduction. Although Nadal ended up defeating Federer 24 times out of their 40 meetings, little did his family know about the prowess of Rafa before the finals of the Wimbledon in 2008. They were worried, tensed, and wondered what came next for the then-22-year-old.

In ‘Rafa: My Story‘, his father Sebastian Nadal revealed his most nerve-wracking experience from the epic encounter against Roger Federer in 2008. Nadal had lost two consecutive finals at Wimbledon and was facing the same opponent, Roger Federer, for the third time. Looking at what had happened last year, Sebastian Nadal revealed that at one point in time, he felt really helpless.

“I was so afraid of another defeat” – Rafael Nadal’s father reveals the exact dressing room scene after his loss at Wimbledon in 2007

Seeking for his 5th consecutive grass Slam triumph, Roger Federer went all the way in 2007 to match Bjorn Borg’s record. He defeated Rafael Nadal by 7-6(7),4-6,7-6(3),2-6,6-2 in a 3-hour 45-minute encounter at the 2007 Wimbledon Championship. Recalling that incident, Nadal wrote he was “utterly disappointed” after his second consecutive defeat to a familiar opponent. His father had never seen him devastated like this ever before.

Sebastian Nadal also went on to explain that moment in the book. After seeing Nadal sitting on the floor of the shower for such a long time, water dripping on his head blended with the tears that rolled down his cheeks. He said, “I was so afraid of another defeat—not for me, but for Rafael.“

Sebastian Nadal went on to add, “I had that picture of him destroyed, utterly sunk, after the 2007 final, nailed inside my head and I did not want to have to see it again. And I thought, if he loses, what can I do—what can I possibly do —to make it less traumatic for him? That was the game of Rafael’s life; that was the biggest day.” He called it a ‘terrible time‘ and added that he had never suffered so much in his entire life.

But of course, 14 years later fans look at the stats and the numbers are wildly different than what they were in 2007.

Every cloud has a silver lining

After two successive failures at Wimbledon, Rafael Nadal finally tasted his first Grand Slam triumph on the grass court in 2008. He defeated Federer by 6-4,6-4,6-7(5),6-7(8),9-7 in a mammoth 4-hours and 48-minute battle.

READ MORE: Indian Wells 2024: Rafael Nadal Sends Fans Into a ‘Screaming’ Frenzy by Merely Hitting Tennis Balls

After this victory, Nadal said he was very happy and added, “It’s impossible to explain what I felt in that moment. I’m very, very happy. It is a dream to play on this court, my favourite tournament, but I never imagined this.” Although Federer has the edge on the grass with a 3-1 margin, the 2008 Wimbledon triumph was really special in Rafael Nadal’s career.

What are your thoughts on this epic rivalry? Share your memorable moment with us in the comment box.

Watch This Story: Bonafide Fitness Buff Serena Williams Reveals Major Nostalgia That Keeps Her Pumped Up In The Gym