Roger Federer cracked jokes about his friendship with former tennis rival Rafael Nadal during a match against a 12-year-old chess master. The former foes spent years competing for Grand Slams on court, although they ultimately struck up a wholesome friendship with respect flowing in each direction.
Federer turned professional three years earlier than Nadal, and he had already sealed multiple Grand Slam triumphs by the time the Spaniard broke his duck at the French Open in 2005.
When Federer retired from the professional game last September, Nadal had the edge in head-to-head meetings with 24 wins to 16. But many still consider the Swiss to have reached a level no other men’s player could match – including Nadal’s uncle, Toni.
The association between Federer and Nadal cropped up in a promotional video shared by UNIQLO, where the retired tennis ace was put up against 12-year-old chess master Tani Adewumi in New York.
“I haven’t been nervous for a while,” said Federer before the match got underway. “Not since my playing days, basically. I’ve never sat across from a chess master. Today, I may be a little nervous.”
Unsurprisingly, Federer lost the first match, with Adewumi informing the 41-year-old that some of his friends were coming along to witness the rematch. The youngster then told Federer that he ‘should have brought Nadal and those guys’ along.
“Roger was always there in front of me,” said Nadal. “For me, he was always the guy to beat. So at some point, we were probably the biggest rivals – I think always in a very good way. We have never had any big issues and always respected each other and our families too.
“But our personal relationship has got better and better over the years, and we approach life in a similar way. I’m very proud to be part of his career in some way, but even happier to finish our rivalry like friends after everything we shared on court.”
