Behind the ‘raw’ photo of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal that captures their enduring friendship, there is a story they share – a love of tennis. When one is a child, the other is a friend. They never talk about the sport too much, but they talk about it during the day; in the rain of a game, in the heat of the evening. They exchange thoughts on the game and each other’s ability to play well, on each other’s personality and on their general approach to the game. This is the kind of relationship that would be impossible to explain to the average person; it would be too personal. They know how to enjoy each other’s presence and to share some of the most emotional moments of their lives through conversation, which they do often without the typical ‘I don’t know how to really say this, but I’m not even sure how to express my feelings’.
The other part of the story is the fact they are both incredibly gifted athletes – incredibly gifted at tennis. It’s an enviable combination – as I’ve heard Roger say many times. They have what everyone covets but rarely gets – a real sense of purpose, a feeling of meaning, and an unquenchable thirst to improve their game and to reach higher heights.
For more than a decade, they have dominated the sport and have inspired millions of people around the world. They are arguably the best tennis players in the world, and that’s without even mentioning the fact they are the longest tenured players in men’s tennis, having been born in the same year, in the same country and in the same city.
At the start of the 2019 season, Federer and Nadal could be considered undisputed kings of men’s tennis. They dominated the season, with record breaking victories in important tournaments, setting new records and keeping their form high, while simultaneously being able to maintain their intensity at all times. Federer has won his 11th French Open title, his 8th in an Open era, and his 6th of a decade. Nadal has won the 11th French Open title of his career, his 4th in an Open era, and his 5th of a decade. They also hold the record for the most men’s grand slams wins in a calendar year since World War II, with 18.
This year, their focus is primarily