Roger Federer's emotional message to Rafael Nadal before retirement charms fans: "Type of love letter a wife would send while her husband's at war"

Roger Federer’s heartfelt tribute to Rafael Nadal ahead of the Spaniard’s retirement has left fans deeply emotional. Nadal will embrace retirement after representing Spain at the Davis Cup Finals.

Federer shared an emotional and heartfelt message for Nadal on his social media, reflecting on their legendary rivalry and deep bond. In the tribute, Federer recalled their first encounter at the 2004 Miami Open, where a young Nadal, in his iconic red sleeveless shirt, stunned him with a commanding victory. He humorously reminisced about Nadal’s unique on-court rituals, from meticulous water bottle placements to fixing his hair.

Federer praised Nadal’s unparalleled career, highlighting his 14 French Open titles, and impact on tennis and his home country, Spain. He expressed gratitude for their shared moments, from battling on the court to launching the Rafa Nadal Academy and playing as doubles partners in Federer’s farewell match at the 2022 Laver Cup.

Signing off as Nadal’s "fan," the Swiss maestro made fans emotional with his heartwarming gesture. One likened the tribute to a love letter in a wartime romance. They wrote:

"Mans dropped the type of love letter a wife would send while her husbands at war"

One fan humorously suggested:

"Get a room 😭❤"

A non-sports fan wrote:

"Zero interest in sports. But I've been so in awe of the Federer-Nadal bond since that viral clip in 2022. That they're these mega-successful male athletes and yet are completely unabashed in being vulnerable with each other in public, is something all other men should learn from."

This fan wrote:

"This tweet is a love letter to Rafa. Even fanpages aren't writing whole a** essays like this."

One fan admired Roger Federer’s public display of heartfelt sentiments. They wrote:

"My man wrote a whole love letter and made it public. 🥹"

"What a rivalry. What men. Finest of them all," yet another fan wrote.

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Roger Federer recalls first-ever match against Rafael Nadal in heartfelt tribute ahead of Davis Cup farewell

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup 2022 (Image: Getty)

In his tribute message to Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer wrote before recalling the fateful year of 2004:

"And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more."

Federer won the Australian Open in 2004 and achieved the World No. 1 rank soon after. However, months later, he was beaten by Nadal in straight sets in Miami. The Swiss icon recalled:

"OK, maybe not at first. After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the #1 ranking for the first time. I thought I was on top of the world. And I was—until two months later, when you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly. All that buzz I’d been hearing about you—about this amazing young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, probably going to win a major someday—it wasn’t just hype."

The duo faced each other 40 times in their career with Nadal leading the head-to-head 24-16. Their final encounter came in the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2019 which the Swiss won 7-6(3), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.