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[raikkoberg]

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal after their Battle of the Surfaces exhibition match, Mallorca, 2007.

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oh heavens.... well we sure can't have that happen huh john

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Vamos, Rafa !

As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional.

Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me – a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could.

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 – even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge.

And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more.

OK maybe not at first. After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the #1 ranking for the first time. I thought I was on top of the world. And I was – until two months later, when you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly. All that buzz I’d been hearing about you – about this amazing young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, probably going to win a major someday – it wasn’t just hype.

We were both at the start of our journey and it’s one we ended up taking together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I have to say: What an incredible run you’ve had. Including the 14 French Opens – historic! You made Spain proud… you made the whole tennis world proud.

I keep thinking about the memories we’ve shared. Promoting the sport together. Playing that match on half-grass, half clay. Breaking the all-time attendance record by playing in front of more than 50,000 fans in Cape Town, South Africa. Always cracking each other up.

I’m still grateful you invited me to Mallorca to help launch the Rafa Nadal Academy in 2016. Actually, I kind of invited myself. I knew you were too polite to insist on me being there but I didn’t want to miss it.

And then there was London – the Laver Cup in 2022. My final match. 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.

Rafa, I know you’re focused on the last stretch of your epic career. We will take when it’s done. For now, I just want to congratulate your family and team, who all played a massive role in your success. And I want you to know that your old friend is always cheering for you, and will be cheering just as loud for everything you do next.

Rafa that!

Best always, your fan,

Roger Federer

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fellas is it gay to get on tippy toes to hug your rival slash friend who is literally the same height as you

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something about the afternoon glow just screams summer in the italian countryside where boys frolick under the sun and have coming of age feelings and fall in love

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No I'm not crying 😭😭

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Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal during a livestream on Instagram ahead of their doubles match at the Laver Cup, London, 2022.

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roger’s leo ass is probably enjoying the fact that rafa’s message to his other rivals is something that they’ve already talked about “a couple of times” he legit bit his lower lip when rafa said that

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seb n kimi

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when the mutuals are infodumping about an interest i know nothing about

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I miss simi😿

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your fave is problematic - Rafael Nadal edition

- most typed sentence is ‘hola a todos’

- ombelible grasp of the English language

- can’t stick to one career (tennis player, golfer, underwear model, dad, helicopter pilot, Tony from reception, Roger Federer’s husband)

- won Roland Garros more than should be humanly possible (cyborg?)

- once said he didn’t want to look like he was going to be Roger Federer’s boyfriend and then subsequently leapt into Roger Federer’s arms at Laver Cup

- probably does his pre-serve routine in his sleep

- ugly crier (sorry)

- crusher of Daniil Medvedev’s hopes and dreams

- hairline peaked in 2005 and it’s all been downhill since then

- can’t watch his matches with the video off because it sounds very dodgy just listening to the grunts

- pioneered sleeveless shirts and no one has ever lived up to him

- once prank texted Andy Murray telling him he looked sexy during Andy’s romantic dinner with his wife

- doesn’t understand Stefanos Tsitsipas (same)

- basically only owns one working leg and still won 22 grand slams

(- this isn’t a roast but one time Novak Djokovic said he’d like to become Rafa’s underwear and that’s simply too iconic not to mention)

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your fave is problematic - Roger Federer edition

- lost his final professional set 6-0 to Hubert Hurkacz (I also would have retired after that tbf)

- favourite comedian is Rafael Nadal (you know what igonnacometoswisslandandplayanexhibitionmatch for your foundation)

- Wimbledon 2019, 8-7, 40-15 (sorry)

- cries watching movies on planes

- was once denied entry to the Wimbledon grounds despite having won it eight times because he forgot his membership card

- destroyer of Andy Roddick’s hopes and dreams but too nice for Roddick to hate him

- said that Rafael Nadal was his favourite doubles partner (over his WIFE)

- many, MANY regrettable hair choices

- it’s lucky he’s good at tennis and didn’t want to be an actor because his acting ability is questionable

- Swiss (has never made a decision in his life)

- injured his knee while running a bath for his kids (made of glass)

- absent father to Jannik Sinner

- biggest Fedal shipper out there

- 43 years old and still acts like a dork (we love him anyway)

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ROGER FEDERER and RAFAEL NADAL after their match at the 2005 Miami Masters final.