Roger Federer has always enjoyed his particular relationship with Rafael Nadal. The Swiss sensation is used to stress the fact that he is a better player because of the Spaniard and he certainly does not hold any grudge for the fact that Spaniard has a rather commanding H2H record against him and he denied him so many titles during their fantastic career.
Roger and Rafa are in fantastic terms, and they created a bond that goes beyond their rivalry and their completely different culture.
Why Federer considers Nadal as a real friend
During a recent interview, Roger was asked about the void that he might feel after leaving tennis. The Maestro didn’t look quite concerned about that to say
“Not really [I will not feel a void]. Having a foundation, having four children, having some sponsors that are going to exceed my playing days, I think it will be fine.
I will miss that other family: the players. I think that’s what will be toughest. One day, when you really leave, the question is, who are you still going to be in touch with? That’s when you realize who your real friends are from the tour. You realize there’s not many.”
When asked about who would be a real friend, Roger answered immediately: “I would think that I’m still in touch with Rafael.”
Lovely.