Together until the end | The mail

The first time that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal met on a tennis court was in Miami 2004, the first final between the two was also in Miami, a year later; his first duel in a Grand Slam was at Roland Garros 2005, also the scene of his first final in a Grand Slam, a year later. Their most uneven match was the final in Paris in 2008, the most epic, that of Wimbledon 2008, the most emotional, that of Australia 2017. The last, the one they played this Friday night on the O2 track in London, in a Laver Cup ready to celebrate Federer’s goodbye and in which Nadal acted as a squire and friend of the Swiss.

It was the moment that everyone had been waiting for since Federer announced his retirement just a few days ago, but the tournament and the players themselves kept it a secret until the announcement, just 24 hours before the match.

The image of both on the court was preceded by compliments at the press conference: “It’s going to be super special to be with Rafa,” said Federer. “He is perfection personified,” Nadal replied, and from the photographs of the two at pre-tournament performances and parties. A ‘selfie’ on the Thames, the two of them in suits at a gala… The Laver Cup, despite its exhibition and practically friendly nature, gives tennis players the unique feeling of living as a team within a completely competitive sport and in which only the Davis Cup can be compared.

Federer and Nadal took it to its peak, repeating the scene that was already experienced in Prague, in 2017, and that paralyzed the sport. Never before have these two geniuses shared the same part of the track. Their rivalry, one of the greatest in history (only surpassed by Djokovic-Nadal and Djokovic-Federer), has seen them meet 40 times, with a wide advantage for the Spaniard, who defeated him 26 times for only fourteen defeats.

Federer managed to make up in his final years a disadvantage that reached 23-10 in mid-2015, but in the books he will remain behind the Spaniard in finals (14-10), semifinals (7-4), quarterfinals ( 2-0), in Grand Slam matches (10-4) and on clay (14-2). Federer only dominates him on grass (3-1) and on cement (11-9), the latter thanks to his splendid 2017. The Swiss leaves with the feeling that he could never defeat him at Roland Garros (6-0), while that Nadal did beat him at Wimbledon (2008). In Australia Nadal also dominated (3-1) and in the US Open curiously they never faced each other.

clash of styles

During the years of rivalry they cultivated a friendly relationship, with their little friction in sports matters, but which has always been characterized by respect. That, together with the epic clash of styles, of the young man from the Balearic Islands who came to dethrone the Swiss maestro, contributed to the creation of the legend and that the most special farewell was with Nadal.

The man from Manacor, awaiting the birth of his first child, accepted the invitation, went to London and supported Federer at the closing of one of the most important races not only in the history of tennis, but of sport.

Federer left, he left now, but he leaves behind the remains of a legend who will continue to be present on every tennis court. His story is parallel to that of tennis and they will continue to live together no matter how much the Swiss figure hangs up his racket.

The defeat of the two legends this Friday against Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe was just an anecdote of a night that was bathed in everyone’s tears. Federer’s mother, Lynette, was the one to open the carousel of tears, with Federer shedding the most. “I’m happy, not sad,” said the Swiss, who did not stop crying throughout the interview on the track. “It’s the ending he would have wanted. Surrounded by my friends, colleagues and my family, “added Federer, who broke down crying next to Nadal.

Both sunk on the bench, the image of the two myths unable to stop crying will be the cover of the sport for many months. A snapshot that reveals the parallel feelings of two players who have shared a life on the court and another off it.