When Roger Federer lost his composure and yelled at Toni, Rafael Nadal’s uncle, Rafael Nadal’s rivalry will be remembered for a long time. The duo captivated their followers with their distinct approaches to the game and treated sports fans all over the world to an extraordinary display of tennis.
The rivalry lasted for more than 15 years and was known as one of the friendliest rivalries in sports. However, there were times when tensions rose. In the Rome Masters final in 2006, one of these major incidents took place. The match, which was the pair’s sixth against each other in their careers, is remembered as one of their best.
Throughout the conflict, which lasted more than five hours, emotions were high. Federer gave in to his frustration at one point in the five-set match with an unusual outburst in which he criticized Toni, the Spaniard’s uncle and coach at the time, for engaging in illegal coaching during play.
“Toni, are you all right? the World’s No. 1 asked the uncle of his opponent with fury.”
The Swiss player reiterated that the Spaniard’s uncle was regularly coaching him after the conclusion of the final, which went in favor of the defending champion Rafael Nadal by scores of 6-7(0), 7-6(5), 6-4, 2-6, and 7-6(5). Federer went on to say that he caught the coach off guard.
“Today, he was coaching a little bit too much. Federer responded, Yes, I caught him in the act.”
He talked about the incident that occurred between his uncle and his archrival after the roller coaster victory, which required Nadal to recover from a point of defeat and fight for two championship points against him. Federer needed to learn to be a gracious loser, the Mallorcan said.
According to Rafael Nadal, “Even if he loses, he must learn to be a gentleman.“
“We have a very good relationship” Rafael Nadal admits about his special bond with archrival Roger Federer.
Throughout the years, despite a few instances of conflict, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have generally maintained a healthy relationship on and off the court.
The Spanish professional discussed Federer’s farewell celebration earlier this year and explained why it had such an impact on him in a recent interview.
“His time had come. The act of leaving was one of the sport’s most iconic moments. I was extremely moved on the grounds that eventually, I encountered it as an opponent, as a colleague, and furthermore as a fan. Although I am a professional athlete, he stated, I am a great sports fan and I value it very much.” He added It’s hard not to get excited if someone like Roger Federer leaves.”
The 22-time Grand Slam champion also said that he still keeps in touch with his former colleague frequently.
“He is delighted, content, and happy. We speak frequently.”