Roger Federer has written a love letter to Rafael Nadal on social media as the Spaniard gears up for an ’emotional’ retirement at the Davis Cup Finals. Nadal and Federer enjoyed one of the most iconic rivalries in the entire history of professional men’s tennis before the Swiss hero retired in 2022.

Roger Federer paid tribute to his retiring rival Rafa Nadal on Tuesday, telling the Spaniard he challenged him like no other player and that he had made the tennis world proud during a glittering career lasting over two decades.

On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard,' Roger Federer wrote, paying tribute to Rafael Nadal's 'epic career'