'We Are Not Best Friends', Roger Federer Says Of Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have shared a long and illustrious rivalry since facing each other for the first time at the Miami Open in 2004 when the Spaniard was a new face on the ATP Tour. They have since gone on to face each other 40 times with the latest coming in the semifinals at Wimbledon which the Swiss ace won in four sets.

The duo has been on top of the game for over a decade and the Federer-Nadal rivalry will always be considered among the greatest tennis has ever seen. The two greats of the game also have a combined 39 Grand Slam titles between them and are currently ranked No.3 and No.2 in the world respectively.

During their 15 year rivalry on the court, Federer and Nadal have also built a great relationship off the court. They remain cordial to each other while it could also be said that they have built a strong friendship, one which was visible when Nadal wildly celebrated with Federer when they won the Laver Cup in 2017.

However, Federer has made it clear that the duo is not “best friends” as both have closer friends than each other. But the Swiss ace is certain that their relationship is as close because of the respect they have for one another.

“To be honest we understand each other very, very well. What I like of Rafa is how open and honest we are one another,” Federer said during a recent interview, as quoted on Tennis World USA.

“We respect each other so much. Are we best friends? I do not think so. He has better friends than me and me too. But in the end, it's about the respect. When we fight on the court, we are rivals,” the 20-time men’s singles Grand Slam winner added.

Nadal remains the biggest threat to Federer’s record of 20 major titles and with the Spaniard still playing at a high level, he could equal the record in 2020, unless the Swiss No.1 can add to his kitty. Federer last won a major at the Australian Open in 2018 with the last seven majors being shared by Nadal (3) and Novak Djokovic (4).