"Dear Roger, my friend and rival, I wish this day would have never come" - Rafael Nadal pens emotional farewell message to Roger Federer on his retirement

Rafael Nadal took to social media to wish his 'friend and rival' Roger Federer well on his retirement, writing a heartfelt tribute to the Swiss maestro. Calling it a "sad day" for sports lovers around the world and him personally, the 22-time Grand Slam champion wished it was a day that had never come.

At the same time, the Mallorcan declared that it had been his privilege to share the tennis court with one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.

"Dear Roger, my friend and rival. I wish this day would have never come. It’s a sad day for me personally and for sports around the world," Nadal said. "It’s been a pleasure but also an honor and privilege to share all these years with you, living so many amazing moments on and off the court."

Nadal added that he knew for certain that he and his long-time rival will share many more meaningful moments in the future, cementing the fact that their friendship extended beyond the confines of the tennis arena.

Nadal also wished the 41-year-old's wife and kids all the happiness in the world, hoping that they can enjoy their time together with the former World No. 1 in his retirement days.

"We will have many more moments to share together in the future, there are still lots of things to do together, we know that," Nadal said. "For now, I truly wish you all the happiness with your wife, Mirka, your kids, your family and enjoy what’s ahead of you. I’ll see you in London at the Laver Cup."

The two have one last tournament to compete at, the 2022 Laver Cup next week, which is where Federer has decided to have his swansong.

Roger Federer will end his tennis career with a 16-24 head-to-head record against Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer at the Laver Cup 2021

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were involved in one of the greatest rivalries tennis has ever known, facing off against each other 40 times in total. It is the Spaniard who has the edge, leading the head-to-head record 24-16.

However, the 20-time Grand Slam champion will take heart from the fact that he won seven of their last eight meetings, including the 2017 Australian Open and the 2019 Wimbledon.

The former marked the site of the Swiss Maestro's 18th Grand Slam title, where he beat Nadal in the final in an extraordinary five-setter to end a four-year Major drought. The latter, meanwhile, marks the last ever meeting between the pair.

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