Rafael Nadal: "Roger Federer is the player who has impressed me the most; I have been more excited to see him play than Novak Djokovic"

Rafael Nadal has shed light on his profound admiration for Roger Federer, highlighting the unique emotional connection he felt while watching the Swiss legend, which set him apart from his other arch-rival, Novak Djokovic.

Nadal and Federer established one of the greatest tennis rivalries in history, locking horns in 40 tour-level encounters. The Spaniard enjoyed a 24-16 head-to-head lead, including a dominant 10-4 winning record in 14 Grand Slam meetings.

Beyond their fierce on-court rivalry, the duo also cultivated an enduring friendship off the court, forging a strong bond. They have regularly lavished praise on the other's skills, personalities and contributions to the sport.

Continuing this trend, Rafael Nadal recently revealed that Roger Federer is the player who impressed, entertained and captivated him the most. He admitted that he found more pleasure in watching the Swiss legend compete compared to Novak Djokovic.

"Since I can remember, he is the player who has impressed me the most, the one who has entertained me the most, the one who has excited me the most.

"I have been more excited to see Federer play than Djokovic, and in the end tennis is emotion, emotion is what draws you to it," he told Spanish publication El Pais.

The Spaniard also explained why his rivalry with Federer garnered more attention than the other rivalries between the 'Big 3.'

He contended that the striking difference in their playing styles, with the 20-time Grand Slam champion's elegant approach contrasting sharply with his own powerful, warrior-like style, played a major role in capturing fans' interest.

"Several factors come together. Some I am not going to tell you because it is difficult for me, it is not my turn to comment on them. But tennis-wise it is clear. It is a very radical combination of styles. Federer was perfection on an aesthetic level, on a level of elegance, on a technical level," he said.

"When I arrived, he was number one in the world, and he got a rival with long hair and an exuberant physique. Elegance against a warrior. There was a pack of combinations of personalities and styles; And that, together with the fact that we have played many games on the most important stages, turned our rivalry into something that transcended more than any other duel," he added.

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Rafael Nadal takes on Dominic Thiem in Brisbane International 1R

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal and compatriot Marc Lopez suffered a straight-set defeat in the first round of the doubles event at the 2024 Brisbane International, losing to Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion will now commence his long-awaited singles comeback in a blockbuster opening-round clash with Dominic Thiem. Thiem booked his place against the Spaniard by claiming victories over James Mccabe and Giulio Zeppieri in qualifying.

The duo will face off in their 16th tour-level meeting at the ATP 250 event in Brisbane. Nadal enjoys a 9-6 head-to-head lead, but Thiem emerged victorious in their two most recent encounters: the 2020 Australian Open and that year's ATP Finals.