"Why did Roger Federer lie to us that he can’t play"; "Still beats Rafael Nadal outside of clay" - Fans delighted by Swiss' latest practice stint

Roger Federer has sent his fans into a frenzy by hitting the practice courts again and putting his impressive backhand and forehand on display.

Federer's competitive days are behind him. He began his professional journey in 1998 and after winning 20 Grand Slam titles, 103 titles overall and spending 310 weeks as the World No. 1, he hung his racket up in September 2022. It has been a year and five months since then.

However, the Swiss Maestro has not lost the art of hitting a tennis ball, which was evident in the latest video that he posted on Instagram. Federer could be seen smashing his signature backhand and elegant forehand against the wall.

The video has been doing rounds on X (formerly Twitter).

The finesse in the 42-year-old's shots made fans on the internet question his decision to call it a day.

"Why did he lie to us that he can't play," a fan wrote.

Another fan went as far as to claim that the Swiss could still down Rafael Nadal on surfaces other than clay.

"Still beats Nadal outside of clay, probably in straight sets," the fan wrote.

Another account expressed awe at the 20-time Grand Slam champion's mastery, writing:

"I could watch these 20 seconds over and over instead of an actual baseline slogathon that is the tour today. The most beautiful single-handed backhand the game has ever seen. Poetry in motion."

Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:

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Roger Federer trails Rafael Nadal 16-24 in the head-to-head

Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer has an unfavorable 16-24 head-to-head record against Rafael Nadal. However, outside clay, the one-on-one tally stands at 14-10 in the Swiss' favor.

The duo's rivalry began in the year 2004 when they faced each other in a Round of 32 match at the Miami Open. The match ended 6-3, 6-3 in Nadal's favor. They met again at the same tournament the following year. This time, however, it was the Swiss who came out on top in the final.

The next five duels, including the semifinal and final at the French Open in 2005 and 2006, respectively, were won by Nadal. Federer, however, hit back with two consecutive wins in the Wimbledon final and the Tennis Masters Cup (ATP Finals now) semifinal in 2006.

Between 2007 and the duo's last encounter in 2019, they clashed on 31 occasions. Nadal earned 18 wins, and one match ended in a walkover (not registered in official head-to-head tally).

Their last meeting was a semifinal showdown at Wimbledon 2019, where Federer clinched his 16th and final win over Nadal in the semifinals. The scoreline read 7-6(3), 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.