Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal rivalry started way back in 2004 Miami Open
The Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal rivalry is one of the most celebrated and anticipated sporting events in the world.
The two goliaths of tennis, who have built a legacy for themselves individually, are also known for their battles on the court over the years. Despite being in their thirties, the two are still going strong and remain top players in the circuit.
Federer and Nadal have faced each other 40 times in their career, with the Spaniard leading the Swiss 24-16 in head-to-head challenges. The duo last played against one another in the semi-finals of the Wimbledon Championships, where Federer emerged the ultimate winner.
Federer, beat his younger opponent Nadal 7-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 to cruise into the finals.
In their first-ever meeting back in the 2004 Miami Open, a 17-year-old Nadal stunned the world when he defeated the then-World No.1 Federer 6-3, 6-3 to set off one of the greatest sporting rivalries the game has witnessed.
Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal rivalry in numbers
Out of the 40 times, they have played each other, 20 of them have been on hard court. 16 matches have been on clay, and 4 on grass respectively.
Federer leads on indoor hard courts 5-1 and grass courts 3–1, while Nadal leads 14–2 on clay and 8–6 on outdoor hard courts.
The Spanish star is also ahead of Federer in their head-to-head meetings in the finals, with a 14-10 lead to his name.
20-time Major winner Federer, who leads Nadal in the number of Grand Slam singles titles, however, is behind the Spaniard in their head-to-head encounters in the Grand Slams.
Nadal has a dominating 10-4 lead against Federer in the Majors. He has surpassed the Swiss ace 6–0 at the French Open and 3–1 at the Australian Open, while Federer leads 3–1 at the Wimbledon Championships. Surprisingly, the two tennis stalwarts are yet to face each other at the US Open.
One of the notable matches that bring back memories of the rivalry between the two is the 2008 Wimbledon Championships, which Nadal won after 4 hours and 48 minutes of gruelling tennis action.
Few notable encounters
A few notable encounters other than the 2008 Wimbledon Championships include the 2006 Rome ATP Masters final, the 2007 Wimbledon final, the 2009 Australian Open final, and the 2017 Australian Open final respectively.
All these matches were five-set thrillers, which took both the tennis superstars to their limits, offering tennis fans across the globe one of the finest rivalries the game has ever produced. Out of these five-setters, Nadal has a slight 3-2 edge over Federer.
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