It’s admittedly a long way from the duo’s roots as bitter nemeses, having played against one another for the first time at the 2004 Miami Masters.
It soon became evident just how special their head-to-head was, and 43-year-old Federer revealed any bad blood was 100% authentic.
Former world No. 9 Andrea Petkovic says it is impressive how Rafael Nadal managed to go from someone fans didn’t like very much early on because he was a major challenge to Roger Federer to also becoming a fan favorite.
After the legendary Swiss became a Grand Slam champion at 2003 Wimbledon and also lifted the 2004 Australian Open to reach the world No. 1 spot, it didn’t take long before pretty much everyone started rooting for him due to elegant game-style but also classy demeanor.
But then in 2004 March, Federer was upset by a 17-year-old Nadal, who won 6-3 6-3 their Miami Open meeting. The following year, the former 20-time Grand Slam champion got his revenge by winning their second meeting that also came in Miami.
While the Spaniard was widely regarded as one of the most talented and promising players in the game, no one was ready for him to win five consecutive meetings against the Swiss between mid-2005 to mid-2006.
But as Nadal established himself as a top player and and it became clear that he and Federer were primed for a historic rivalry, fans also fell in love with his humble personality but also his game and competitive spirit.
