Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s rivalry’s friendship element has always been admired by tennis fans all over the world. Today, as we celebrate Valentine’s Day, we look back at an old clip of Rafael Nadal denying any ‘boyfriend’ talks for Roger Federer.
The video comes from a US Open press conference after Rafael Nadal had comfortably beaten the now No. 5 ranked player Andrey Rublev scoring 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in straight sets to advance to the semis of the 2017 US Open. The win not only propelled Nadal but also sparked people’s expectations for another classic in the Nadal-Federer saga.
I make it a priority to watch this video of Nadal talking about Federer every year for Valentine's Day.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 14, 2024
"I don't want to look like I'm going to be his boyfriend, no?" 😂 pic.twitter.com/z1CgJiJG7v
Thus, in the post-match press conference where Nadal was going over his match and summarizing his takeaways, a reporter promptly asked the Spaniard about how he felt for his Swiss rival and what he admired the most about him on and off the court.
“People are obviously fascinated by the rivalry, What do you admire most about Roger on court and what do you admire most about him as a man off the court?,” the reporter asked.
To which the Spaniard replied that he did not want to come off as Federer’s boyfriend by answering the question.
“I don’t want to look like I’m going to be his boyfriend, no?,” Nadal jokingly replied.
“We don’t want to talk these kind of things before (an) important match,” Nadal further added.
This semi-final match-up between the two would have been the first on the US Open which was surprising as the duo had faced each other almost everywhere else before.
The match, unfortunately, could not happen as Roger Federer lost his quarter-final match against Juan Martín del Potro 5-7, 6-3, 6-7, 4-6. But it gave the tennis world a memorable clip to cherish this legendary rivalry.
Rafael Nadal expected to play at Indian Wells next but has the Qatar Open in mind before anything else
Rafael Nadal is all set and ready to make his second comeback of the season already as he suits up to test the Qatari soil next. While he makes his return, recent reports suggest that the Indian Wells might be next for the Spaniard.
Nadal returns to action next week in Doha where he’ll go up against Daniil Medvedev, Andy Murray, and Andrey Rublev among others. The tournament is expected to play a critical role in determining not only the Spaniard’s season but also his career. If another setback happens in this tournament, Nadal might view retirement as a viable option to consider. Some reports have also suggested that he may even skip Doha in favor of Indian Wells next month.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion is also expected a participate in the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells next month. The Spaniard has also been crowned champion thrice in the competition with the first one coming all the way back in 2007. He last won the tournament in 2019.
