The Rafael Nadal era in tennis is coming to a close. The “King of Clay” is retiring following the result of the 2024 Davis Cup finals, bringing an end to one of the most illustrious careers in the sport. 

Nadal’s resume speaks for itself. He is a 22-time Grand Slam champion and is one of only three men to complete the career Golden Slam in singles play. No one has won as many French Opens as he has (14), and his 81 wins in a row on clay make for the longest single-surface win streak since 1968 when the Open Era began in the sport. 

When discussing Nadal’s career, it’s impossible not to bring another one of the all-time greats — Roger Federer. The Swiss player squared off against the Spaniard in multiple high-intensity matches, including a plethora of times with a trophy on the line. 

So it was extremely fitting for Federer to pen a farewell to his former foe ahead of Nadal’s final match. 

MORE: Rafael Nadal career history and Grand Slams won by Spanish great

What did Roger Federer say about Rafael Nadal?

“Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me—a lot,” Federer said in his statement on X, formerly Twitter.

“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.

“… 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. Wearing each other out on the court and then, sometimes, almost literally having to hold each other up during trophy ceremonies.

“… Rafa, I know you’re focused on the last stretch of your epic career. We will talk 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.”

MORE: How to watch Davis Cup Finals 2024 in US

Vamos, @RafaelNadal!

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…

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) November 19, 2024

With Nadal set to take the court one final time at some point during the Davis Cup finals in Malaga, Spain, it means that two-thirds of the Big Three in tennis will soon be no longer active. Nadal will join Federer in retirement, while Novak Djokovic continues to compete, but perhaps not for much longer. 

MORE: When is Rafael Nadal’s final match?

Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer record

The rivalry between Nadal and Federer is considered to be one of the greatest the sport of tennis has ever seen.

Over the course of the pair’s careers, the two met 40 times. Nadal has the edge in the all-time record, leading 24-16 overall and 14-10 in finals. Of their 40 matches, 20 were on hard court, 16 on clay and four on grass. Nadal finished with a mighty advantage on clay (14–2), while Federer bested his rival on grass (3–1) and hard court (11–9).

A total of 14 of their matches were in majors, with Nadal leading those contests 10–4. The Spaniard beat the Swiss player all six times they met at the French Open and went 3-1 against his competitor at the Australian Open. Federer went 3-1 against Nadal at Wimbledon.

Despite the pair’s success over the years at the US Open, the duo never matched up in the major on American soil.