Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal played each other 40 times during their careers, and their first meeting more than set the tone for what was to come.
Nadal and Federer’s rivalry may well be the greatest tennis has ever seen, as fans were witness to 40 sensational matches between two of the sport’s best players.
Nadal ended up winning the head-to-head with his Swiss counterpart 24-16, after 15 years of action.
The pair have now both hung up their rackets for good, with Nadal retiring from tennis after the 2024 Davis Cup Finals.
The Spaniard enjoyed 23 years of brilliance on the ATP Tour, as he picked up 22 Grand Slam titles, two more than his rival Federer.
Federer had retired two years earlier in 2022, as he switched his attention to the Laver Cup, a competition which he helped bring to life.
With the pair’s rivalry now over, the tennis world has looked back upon their first ever meeting, 15 years ago.
Miami Open 2004: Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s first ever match
Speaking on Sky Sports‘ ‘Rafael Nadal: End of an Era’, pundit Jonathan Overend, looked back upon Nadal’s first meeting with Federer.
“The first time for me that Rafa [Nadal] really crashed into everyone’s consciousness was [in] Miami in 2004,” he said.
“Under the lights, night session, he was playing Roger Federer, as a 17-year-old.
“A kid from Spain, sure we’d heard about him, but we didn’t know much about him.
“Federer, different gravy, he’s in the peak of his career at that stage, 2004 was an unbelievable year for Federer.”
Much to the surprise of many, the Spaniard took control in Miami, putting the tennis world on notice.
“What happens, Nadal rises to the occasion, draws on support coming down from the high seats and he beats Federer in straight sets,” said Overend.
“It was a remarkable night, a remarkable victory, for me it was just a spine-tingling moment.
“It must’ve been how the punters in The Cavern Club in Liverpool felt when the Beatles were out there, and everyone knew that they were witnessing something special.”
Nadal beat Federer 6-3, 6-3, in the first meeting between the pair, as he advanced to the fourth round of the Miami Open.
Federer wasn’t at his best for their first encounter but was full of praise for his future rival.
“He hit some really incredible shots,” he said.
“I’ve heard a lot about him and saw some matches of his, I think this is not a big surprise for everybody.”
Nadal on the other hand felt very fortunate to have gotten off to a winning start against the Swiss.
“I’m very happy because I played one of the best matches in my life,” he said.
“Obviously, he didn’t play his best tennis and that’s the reason why I could win.
“I mean, if he had played his best tennis, I would have had no chance, but that’s what happens in tennis.
“If a player like me plays at a very, very good level and a top player like Roger doesn’t play his best tennis, I can win.”
What happened in Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s final match?
Nadal may have gotten the better of Federer in their first encounter, but what happened in their last?
Nadal took on Federer for the final time in the 2019 Wimbledon semi-final, having won just one of their previous six encounters.
The Spaniard was looking to return to the Wimbledon final for the first time in nine years but faced a tough test against the eight-time champion.
Federer clinched a tight first set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-3), before Nadal battled back to comfortably take the second 6-1.
It looked as though the Spaniard had the momentum, but the Swiss star used all of his experience to eventually come through in four sets to advance to the final.
Federer then went on to lose the final in a classic encounter with Novak Djokovic, but managed to score one final win over his legendary rival at SW19 first.
15 years, and 39 matches after they first took to the court in Miami, the story of Nadal and Federer had come to a close.
A rivalry that fans of the sport will remember for as long as they live, as the pair entertained millions throughout their careers.
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