The tennis rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal is considered one of the greatest in the history of the sport. [1] Federer and Nadal played each other 40 times, with Nadal leading 24–16 overall, including 14–10 in finals. Of their 40 matches, 20 were on hardcourts, 16 on clay, and 4 on grass. Mar 11, 2025 · Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer played out one of the sport’s greatest rivalries, competing in 40 matches over 15 years. The Spanish and Swiss stars dominated men’s tennis alongside Novak Djokovic for a generation, winning a combined 66 Major titles. Oct 21, 2024 · According to Rafael Nadal, that accolade belongs to Novak Djokovic. The competition between the big three of Nadal, Djokovic, and Roger Federer ensued for decades, as the trio dominated Grand Slam titles and blew away any other competition. Dec 26, 2024 · Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s rivalry started back in 2004 at the Miami Open. A 17-year-old Nadal shocked the world by beating Federer, who was already the World No. 1. Mar 28, 2004 · On this day, March 28, 2004, a young but already famous Spanish left-hander, Rafael Nadal, confirmed the hype around him by defeating world No 1 Roger Federer in the third round of the Miami Masters 1000 (6-3, 6-3). Sep 27, 2022 · A rivalry that defined an era, this was Federer’s longest-standing professional rivalry, spanning from 2004 to 2019. Despite the fact that Federer was the newly-crowned number one in their first meeting, a 17-year-old Nadal defeated the more experienced Swiss 6-3, 6-3 at the Miami Open. Dec 19, 2025 · Federer’s rivalry with Nadal continued at Wimbledon in 2007. There he bested Nadal in a thrilling five-set final to become the second male player (after Björn Borg) in more than 100 years to capture five consecutive Wimbledon titles. May 16, 2024 · The rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal is one of the most exciting and memorable in tennis history. For over a decade, these two legends have faced off in

matches that have thrilled fans around the world. Sep 15, 2022 · No rivalry has delivered this rare dynamic better than Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal. Yes, they defined each other, in the same way that a photograph is defined by its negative. Aug 3, 2022 · Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have been some of the most closely matched men’s tennis players in the modern world for several decades. Each have played their part in a highly intense competition, with them competing against each other consistently during men’s singles.