Budding athletes with big ambitions seldom skip joining academies that offer the best training, let alone pass on a training opportunity at the Rafa Nadal Academy, owned by Spanish legend Rafael Nadal. Ahead of the former World No. 1’s highly-anticipated farewell, his longtime friend and rival Roger Federer penned a heartfelt note before ‘graduating’ from the sport. To much amusement, the ‘Swiss Maestro’ also revealed his reservations after sending his kids to train at Rafa’s academy.

The 22-time Major winner shocked fans after airing his impending retirement on October 10 in an emotional video, confirming that he will bid adieu at the Davis Cup Final 8 in Malaga, wearing Spanish colors. Several players poured heartfelt comments on social media, congratulating Nadal on his stellar legacy and entertaining his fans worldwide for nearly two decades, his longtime rival Federer took one step further and wrote an adorable message for the Spaniard.

In a post on Instagram, the veteran hailed Rafa, saying he helped him “enjoy the game even more” and reassess his gameplay tactics to gain an edge during their on-court rivalry. After addressing his emotions, Federer highlighted that he couldn’t be happier knowing that his kids trained at the Spaniard’s academy, years after he attended the project’s inauguration in 2016 in Mallorca. Later, he hilariously expressed feeling worried, thinking his “kids would come home playing tennis as lefties”.

He said, “You have been a role model for kids around the world, and Mirka and I are so glad that our children have all trained at your academy. They had a blast and learned so much – like thousands of other young players.” For those unaware, the duo first locked horns in the third round of the Miami Open in 2004 and sealed their famed rivalry with a final dance at Wimbledon in 2019. Though the legendary pair teamed up for a doubles blockbuster at the 2022 Laver Cup, they couldn’t carry forth their on-court chemistry after the Swiss talent bid farewell at the annual event.

With merely days left for the Spaniard’s retirement, it’s been an emotional atmosphere in the sport. Moreover, Nadal issued a concerning admission before commencing his final run at the Davis Cup in Malaga.

Rafael Nadal says he doesn’t have the ‘ego’ to prolong his career

We know all why Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal is finally hanging his rackets. For the uninitiated, the Mallorcan sensation couldn’t cope with the pace of modern tennis simply because he lost his top form due to multiple injury concerns. Before launching his Davis Cup campaign, the Spaniard highlighted what drove him to consider retirement after spending nearly two years on the sidelines, and, even then, not being able to produce a comeback.

He said, “I cannot be competitive enough and am not able to enjoy my daily basis the way I need to be competitive at a high level. I can hold on for one more year but why? To say goodbye every single tournament. I don’t have the ego to need that. So at the end, this is about a feeling that I’ve been thinking for a long time, and for me today it doesn’t make sense or keep going knowing that I don’t have a real chance to be competitive in a way that (I) like.”

Nadal, alongside countryman Carlos Alcaraz, is due to take on team Netherlands in the quarterfinal of the annual group event on November 19. With high motivation to bring glory back home, the duo will likely produce their best before Rafa says goodbye to his home crowd.