Patrick Mouratoglou picks the shot Roger Federer used against Rafael Nadal that saw him lose 99% of the time

Follow us on Google Discover

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal enjoyed a legendary rivalry on the ATP Tour.

There are few names more synonymous with tennis than Federer and Nadal’s, with the pair racking up a combined 42 Major titles during their time in the sport.

The ATP Tour was dominated by the duo, alongside Serbian star Novak Djokovic, for almost two decades, as they picked up big titles on a regular basis.

The pair last played together at the 2022 Laver Cup, as Federer and Nadal teamed up for the Swiss’ last match as a professional.

Nadal retired from tennis in 2024, joining Federer in hanging up his racket, after 21 years at the very top of the game.

They left the game in a better place than they found it, thrilling fans throughout their tenure in the sport with several classic encounters.

Looking back, one top ATP Tour coach has given his thoughts on how their rivalry played out and noticed one particular shot that made a real difference.

Patrick Mouratoglou says Roger Federer lost 99% of points using a slice return against Rafael Nadal

Speaking on Instagram, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune’s former coach Patrick Mouratoglou explained what happened at the beginning of Federer and Nadal’s rivalry that gave the Spaniard the edge.

“When Roger [Federer] was returning slice against Rafa [Nadal], he was losing the point probably 99% of the time, he said.

“When you slice against Rafa, he’s turning around the backhand, and he can use his forehand and start to make you run, and he barely loses the point.”

Mouratoglou went on to detail the change the Swiss star made during his later encounters with Nadal that saw him enjoy success.

“Towards the end of his career, Roger started to return flat on Rafa’s serve and it kind of changed the dynamics between those two,” he said.

The French coach was happy to see Federer adjust, as he prefers to see players use a ‘flat return’, although he recognizes the importance of the ‘slice’.

“My favorite is the return flat because you’re able to create pace,” he said.

“With a slice it’s a bit more defensive, as a shot, it’s important to know how to return slice, because in a way it’s easier to control the ball with a slice.

“It’s more natural with the slice to control the ball, and it’s also a good way to keep the ball very low, and against some opponents it’s an advantage.”

Did Roger Federer have the edge over Rafael Nadal during the latter stages of his career?

Mouratoglou suggested that a switch to the ‘flat return’ saw Federer ‘change the dynamic’ of his rivalry with Nadal, but was that really the case?

Between 2011 and 2014, Nadal led the head-to-head with Federer 9-2, before the Swiss star took control as the pair entered the latter stages of their careers.

Nadal won just one of his final seven meetings with Federer, a worrying statistic for the Spaniard that may well prove Mouratoglou right.

The flat return came in handy during the 2017 Australian Open final, as Federer beat Nadal in a five-set thriller on Rod Laver Arena.

Federer and Nadal battled it out for over three and a half hours in what is considered by some to be one of the greatest matches in tennis history.

Patrick Mouratoglou’s coaching record against Roger Federer

In the battle of one-handed backhands, Federer and Tsitsipas faced off four times on the ATP Tour, with the head-to-head level at 2-2.

All four meetings took place in 2019, when Tsitsipas trained at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, working closely with the now 54-year-old.

• 2019 ATP Finals (SF) – Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Roger Federer in two sets
• 2019 Basel (SF) – Roger Federer beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in two sets
• 2019 Dubai (F) – Roger Federer beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in two sets
• 2019 Australian Open (4R) – Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Roger Federer in four sets

Tsitsipas and Mouratoglou’s biggest win came in London, where the Greek took down Federer in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the final of the ATP Finals.

Mouratoglou’s pupil went on to win the tournament, becoming the first player to win the Next Gen Finals and ATP Finals in back-to-back years.

Tsitsipas and Mouratoglou no longer work together, with the Frenchman now a core member of Naomi Osaka’s coaching team.

Osaka is currently out of action as she recovers from injury, although she’ll no doubt hope to be back fit ahead of the French Open, which begins on May 25.