"When he retired, part of me left with him" - Nadal on Federer

Roger Federer's retirement from tennis was a very emotional moment not only for fans but also for his rivals.

Not many anticipated how emotional the Swiss Maestro's retirement ceremony would be for Rafael Nadal. Federer was, for a very long time, the face of tennis, and there is a very good reason for that.

He elevated the sport to a global phenomenon during his time and ushered in an era of tennis that will likely forever be remembered as the golden era of the sport.

With that in mind, his retirement was always going to be very emotional for plenty of people, fans and some of his rivals or players he never met on the ATP Tour as well.

But nobody really thought that it would be as emotional for Nadal, who was crying as much or possibly even more than Federer during the ceremony. In some ways, it’s understandable; his career wouldn’t be the same without Federer, as the legendary status of both elevated the careers of both.

They had heated battles and great finals, but in the end, the most beautiful thing about the rivalry was that it blossomed into a friendship. Nadal certainly confirmed that it was tough for him, explaining that for him, Federer is that one rival that he considers above all others.

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Simply put, when Federer left the sport officially, a part of Nadal left with him.

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