Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s relationship has been made public.

Over the course of their remarkable careers, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer were bitter rivals.

The tennis prodigy Rafael Nadal has shared details about his friendship with longtime adversary Roger Federer.

With 42 titles between them, the two sports titans battled for years for Grand Slam awards.

Despite their intense matches on tennis courts all across the world, he has never thought of him as a close buddy.

Although Nadal acknowledged that it was “difficult” to be close friends with his greatest opponent, the Swiss player has enormous respect for him.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s relationship has been made public.

“It’s difficult to be a true friend of a rival, but not because of the competition but because you have to be around them every day,” the Spaniard told ElHormiguero.

“Roger is a fantastic teammate; together, we’ve accomplished a lot and engaged in significant competitions.

“Normal people eventually develop a deep admiration for their biggest opponent.

“We’ve understood sport in a healthy way, but we’ve handled the rivalry in an appropriate , sensible way and we’ve always known how to appreciate each other.”

Over the course of his ATP Tour career, Nadal has faced Federer 40 times and prevailed 24 times, including 14 finals.

The 38-year-old didn’t play until July 21, when he lost to world No. 7 Nuno Borges in the Swedish Open final.