Five great matches between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer after the Spanish great announced his retirement from tennis on Thursday:
2004 – Miami
— On March 28, 2004, a 17-year-old Nadal, ranked at 34, and world number one Federer met for the first time at the Miami Masters and the Spaniard came out on top 6-3, 6-3 in just 70 minutes.
Federer had already won a second major at the Australian Open earlier in the year and arrived in Florida having captured the Indian Wells title.
However, Nadal was untroubled as he became the youngest player to defeat a world number one, victory moving him into the last 16 where he was defeated by big-hitting Fernando Gonzalez.
2006 – Rome
— In a blueprint of their epics to come, Nadal recovered from 1-4 down in the final set of the Italian Open and saved two match points to win 6–7 (0/7), 7–6 (7/5), 6–4, 2–6, 7–6 (7/5).
The final took more than five hours to play and moved Nadal to 53 straight wins on clay, matching Guillermo Vilas’ record.
2007 – Wimbledon
— Playing in a ninth successive Grand Slam final, Federer equalled Bjorn Borg’s record of five Wimbledon titles with a 7-6 (9/7), 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-2 victory over Nadal, but the Spanish star did more than enough to suggest that he’d be holding the famous trophy himself sooner rather than later.
“He’s playing phenomenal tennis,” said Federer of Nadal after the two played a second successive final at the All England Club.
“He came so close today – he deserves a title here. It is building up to one of the great rivalries.”
Nadal was left to regret failing to convert two break points in the deciding set.
“Maybe to compare myself with Roger is not possible yet – he has 11 Grand Slams, I have three – but I’m young and I’m improving every season.”
2008 – Wimbledon
— Twelve months later, they met again in the Wimbledon final, one of the greatest ever played.
In almost complete darkness after a final interrupted by rain, Nadal won his fifth Grand Slam title and first outside of the French Open.
He missed two championship points in the fourth set but steadied to triumph 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (8/10), 9-7.
With his 4-hour and 48-minute victory, Nadal became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back.
“For me, it was the most emotional match I ever played in, probably the best,” said Nadal.
“I tried everything, but Rafa is a deserving champion, he just played fantastic,” said Federer who converted just one of 13 break points.
2017 – Australian Open
— In their ninth and last Grand Slam final clash, 35-year-old Federer became the second oldest man in the Open era to win a Grand Slam since 37-year-old Ken Rosewall at the 1972 Australian Open.
Federer came from a break down in the final set to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to capture his first Slam title in almost five years. The previous year, Federer had sat out six months with a knee injury.
“It’s been a difficult last six months. I didn’t think I was going to make it here,” said Federer after lifting his 18th major and fifth Australian Open.
Nadal said: “It is amazing how he is playing after all this time away from the tour. I am very happy for you.”
Final head-to-head: Nadal 24-16
