'Showing off those biceps..': Federer revisits his first glimpse of young Nadal

One of the greatest sportsmen of all time Rafael Nadal is preparing to bid adieu to the sport that made him a global icon The man who turned the French Open into his personal domain dominating Roland Garros with unparalleled authority will bring the curtain down on his illustrious career at the Davis Cup finals in 2024 As Nadal readies himself to pick up his racquet for the final time as a professional the entire sporting world stands in emotional solidarity knowing that a monumental era is drawing to a closeNadalrsquos retirement marks the end of a truly extraordinary journeymdashone that has seen him redefine what it means to be a competitor His relentless drive unmatched mental toughness and fierce rivalry with the sports elite have solidified his place among tennis legendsAlso Read Rafael Nadal to skip Davis Cup singles if he does not feel goodWhile fans will mourn the loss of a player who transcended the game there is one person in particular who will feel this departure more than most his greatest rival Roger FedererFederer who has shared one of the most iconic rivalries in sports history with Nadal penned a heartfelt tribute to the Spaniard as he approaches his final match In a poignant post Federer reminisced about their first encounter on the tennis court when a young Nadal from Mallorca stepped onto the clay with a determination that would soon make him the dominant force on that surface In his nearly 600word message Federer expressed admiration not only for Nadalrsquos achievements but for the fierce spirit that made their rivalry so legendary cementing their place in the annals of tennis historyHeres his postVamosRafaelNadalAs you get ready to graduate from tennis Ive got a few things to share before I maybe get emotionalLets start with the obvious you beat mea 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 gameeven going so far as to change the size of my racquet head hoping for any edgeIm not a very superstitious person but you took it to the next level Your whole process All those rituals Assembling your water bottles like toy soldiers in formation fixing your hair adjusting your underwear All of it with the highest intensity Secretly I kind of loved the whole thing Because it was so uniqueit was so youAnd you know what Rafa you made me enjoy the game even moreOK 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 wasuntil 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 Id been hearing about youabout this amazing young player from Mallorca a generational talent probably going to win a major somedayit wasnt just hypeWe were both at the start of our journey and its one we ended up taking together Twenty years later Rafa I have to say What an incredible run youve had Including 14 French Openshistoric You made Spain proud you made the whole tennis world proudI keep thinking about the memories weve shared Promoting the sport together Playing that match on halfgrass halfclay Breaking the alltime attendance record by playing in front of more than 50000 fans in Cape Town South Africa Always cracking each other up Wearing each other out on the court and then sometimes almost literally having to hold each other up during trophy ceremoniesIm 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 didnt want to miss it You have always been a role model for kids around the world and Mirka and I are so glad that our children have all trained at your academies They had a blast and learned so muchlike thousands of other young players Although I always worried my kids would come home playing tennis as leftiesAnd then there was Londonthe Laver Cup in 2022 My final match It meant everything to me that you were there by my sidenot 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 careerRafa I know youre focused on the last stretch of your epic career We will talk when its 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 nextRafa thatBest always your fanRoger