20 years after the first Nadal-Federer: the story of an iconic match and the “baptism” of the Swiss for the Spaniard

Rafael Nadal He had only 26 wins in main draw matches of ATP tournaments when Miami Masters 1000 2004, in which he faced (and beat) for the first time Roger Federer, starting one of the greatest rivalries of all time. He was 17 years old and had not yet won his first title, which he would win a few months later in Sopot, Poland, while the Swiss was the current champion of Wimbledon, the Australian Open and was enjoying his first weeks as number one of the world. .

Even so, the Spanish were not unknown. The world of tennis was already starting to talk about the enormous condition of this teenager shaped by his harsh discipline Uncle Toni. He had distinguished himself from a very young age with important results such as winning the prestigious championship Les Petit As (tournament reserved for players aged 12 to 14) and his first victory on the senior circuit at 15 years and 330 days. His leap onto the big stage was awaited with great anticipation.

He made his debut that season in Miami with a 6-4 win and retirement against Goran Ivanisevic, a former Grand Slam champion who was on his way out, and showed up to play with Federer, winner of 23 of the 24 matches played so far this year, with the distinctive touch of his debut: shoulder-length hair, sleeveless shirt and a ferocity on the pitch that contrasted with the shyness he showed.

“In front of him the number one in the world and behind him the man who could one day become number one” anticipated the TV commentator when the two players came out onto the pitch central court of the Crandon Park Tennis Center. And once the triumph was over he added: “What an amazing victory for this guy! His progress is so rapid that one wonders how far he will go.” Today marks 20 years since that iconic moment.

Regardless of his great qualities, that prognosis seemed a little bold. There are so many young talents who simply remain great promises, often overwhelmed by the pressure that the public and some of the press put on them, that it was feared that Nadal, 34th in the rankings at the time, could take risks. fortune. That wasn’t the case with him. He seemed loose as if there wasn’t the best tennis player on the planet in front of him, he won decisively with a double 6-3 in an hour and 10 minutes of play and reached the round of 16, at which time he lost to the Chilean Fernando Gonzalez.

He was firm on serve, his main weakness: he fielded a good 81.3% of first serves, he had no breakpoints against and broke Federer three times, who suffered from the intensity that his rival imposed on him from the baseline and the enormous ability to counter with those passing shots which ended up becoming their trademark.

“I went out on track with a positive attitude, not with the idea of ​​trying to win Games. I’m very happy because I played one of the best matches of my life. Obviously he didn’t play his best tennis and that’s why I managed to win”, commented the Majorcan with the humility he maintains to this day.

“I’ve heard a lot about him and seen some of his matches. “I don’t think this is a surprise to anyone” Federer later praised him. He heard about him, saw him play and even knew him a little already. Perhaps that’s why he didn’t appear shocked like in other defeats, but rather smiled shyly in his online greeting. That was the first duel between the two in singles, but it wasn’t the first time they met on a tennis court. They had played each other in doubles the previous week for the second round Indian Wells, with the 5-7, 6-4 and 6-3 victory of the Spaniards Nadal and Tommy Robredo against the Swiss and his compatriot Yves Allegro.

That time the greeting was even more affectionate and then the conversation continued in the locker room. It was there that the man from Basel, who was advancing at great speed in the singles and would become champion, invited the man from Manacor, eliminated in the third round by Agustín Calleri, to sit in his cans for the quarterfinal match against another Argentine, Juan Ignacio Chela. He couldn’t refuse such an offer and there he sat next to “Mirka”, Federer’s current wife, enjoying a crushing 6-2, 6-1 victory for his Majesty. The photo has been left for the archive.

In 2005, exactly one year later, Roger and Rafa played the final in Miami, their first five-set match. In 2006, 2007 and 2008 they faced each other consecutively in the finals of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, their favorite courts. And so they continued to be protagonists of a true Superclásico of tennis, above all for the clash of styles that they marked. That rivalry remained off the field, while their great friendship, forged in those days in the California desert, continued over time.

So it was that 18 years later the manacorí, not yet in physical condition to take the field, accepted the invitation of his bitter rival and friend to play the 2022 Laver Cup at the O2 Arena in London and to accompany him in a doubles match which It ended his career. And they left another indelible image, that of both of them crying that goodbye.

First teammates, then friends, rivals and tennis geniuses. Once and forever.