"Can't win them all against Rafael Nadal, he's too good of a player" - When Roger Federer acknowledged his poor head-to-head record against Spaniard

Roger Federer once spoke about his losing record against Rafael Nadal, admitting it’s tough to win every match against someone as skilled as the Spaniard. He made the remarks during the 2017 Shanghai Masters,

The duo share one of the most iconic rivalries in tennis history, having faced each other 40 times, with Nadal leading the head-to-head record 24-16. They have met in nine Grand Slam finals, including four at the Australian Open (split evenly), four at the French Open (all won by Nadal), and two at Wimbledon (one win each).

One of Federer's victories over Nadal came in Shanghai in 2017, where the former beat the latter in the final to claim the title. On his way to the championship match, the Swiss overcame Diego Schwartzman, Alex Dolgopolov, Richard Gasquet, and Juan Martin del Potro.

Following his victory over Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer spoke to the media about their head-to-head record. When asked if he could eventually turn the tide in his favor, the 20-time Grand Slam champion responded humbly, saying that it was unlikely given the time left in his career

"It's not gonna happen," Federer said. "We don't have enough years left on the tour, and we're ranked too good that we play each other only in finals at the moment. It looks like that's going to stay like this for a few months more. So can't win them all against Rafa, to be honest. He's too good of a player."

"Whatever happened in the past has happened. I'm just happy I'm on the run that I am right now. I don't know what it takes for year-end No. 1 for both of us," he added.

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Roger Federer on narrowing head-to-head gap against Rafael Nadal: "I tried, I was close on many occasions"

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal pictured at the 2022 Laver Cup | Image Source: Getty

Roger Federer expressed his "utmost" respect for Rafael Nadal during the same press conference. He mentioned that he had made numerous attempts to narrow the gap in their head-to-head record on various surfaces, except for clay, but ultimately fell short.

"I have utmost respect for Rafa," Federer said. "It's been a tough matchup for me, and I tried my best. I have played him a lot on clay in the beginning of my career. No problem."

The Swiss added:

"I tried. I was close on many occasions, but he's better on clay. I try to win the other ones that I can, and this year has been great so I'm happy about it."

Their head-to-head record will remain unchanged since Federer retired in 2022 at the Laver Cup, where he teamed up with Nadal for doubles. The Spaniard, too, has been hinting at his own retirement in recent months, suggesting that an announcement may be on the horizon.