A legendary rivalry that has lasted nearly two decades has been enjoyed by Federer and Nadal. When they first faced each other in the 2004 Miami Open, a 17-year-old ranked 34th in the world defeated the then-number-one Swiss player in straight sets.

On the ATP Tour, they have since shared the stage 39 more times, with the Spaniard finishing ahead with a record of 24-16. They fought for the same prize virtually every week of the year they participated in tournaments, which made the beginning of their competition exciting and fierce.

However, their bond flourished off the court, and when Federer’s career came to an end, they grew closer than ever. Recently, the two participated in an intriguing conversation about their professions in The Dolomites while appearing in a Louis Vuitton advertisement.

Federer has nothing but positive things to say about the Spaniard and the influence he has had on his career—both on the court and off. This explains why, at least 10 days before he made the announcement to the public, the 42-year-old personally called Nadal to advise him of his decision to retire two years ago.

At the 2022 Laver Cup, the 20-time Grand Slam champion played his farewell match, opportunely playing doubles alongside Rafael Nadal. Federer was questioned about the possibility of getting back together with his old opponent at the event he co-founded in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I doubt we’ll play doubles at Laver together. But I’ll be there if he asks me.”

September marks the yearly return of the Laver Cup. Before their run of victories was broken in the past two years, Team Europe will try to recapture the crown. Berlin, Germany will host the three-day competition, and Rafael Nadal will be one of the competitors.