2006 was a very crucial year in the rivalry of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Rafa had stamped his authority on clay the year before.
By now, he seemed like the only big contender for Roger Federer in the tennis world. In 2006, Rafa would face a litmus test as the clay season began again. Everyone wanted to know if Nadal could maintain his reign on clay.
That’s exactly what he did as Nadal vanquished his arch-rival. However, Tennis Channel shared a very interesting video from that event. It showed the two stars going for a Royal drive in the streets of Monte Carlo.
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WATCH – Father Hits Roger Federer With A Tennis Ball
They see them rollin' 🏁#Fedal arriving in style back in 2006 in Monte-Carlo…@RafaelNadal @RogerFederer pic.twitter.com/UoAcZgt7zx
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 19, 2020
Roger Federer drives a Mercedes with Rafael Nadal
In this special video, Roger can be seen handling the wheel while Rafa sits next to him. The rare video would certainly put a smile on many Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal fans out there.
Talking about their much anticipated final, Rafa prevailed 6-2, 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 in a match that went on for 3 hours and 50 minutes. It was the fourth-longest encounter between the two stars. Interestingly, this was Rafael fourth win in five matches against Federer.
The car itself has a special connection with Roger Federer. He is one of the most distinguished brand ambassadors of Mercedes cars. The Swiss maestro signed his latest contract extension with the company back in 2018 which was expected to hand him $58 million a year.
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Know More – Federer Posts “Pre-Mirka” Picture With Outrageous Hairstyle
The rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal has certainly been a big selling point for the two stars. Of course, both are big names in their own right. However, no one can discount the fact that their shared success played a big role in building their brand.
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Their epic rivalry defined not only tennis but also their own marketing value. At the moment, we don’t know how many more Federer-Nadal matches we are yet to see. They have changed the books of tennis history regardless.