March 26, 2004, Roger Federer had just won the first two majors of his career and was settling in as the new World No. 1.
Seventeen year-old Rafael Nadal had yet to really make a name for himself.
However, in Miami Nadal beat Federer, 6-3, 6-3. It signalled the start of one of the greatest rivalries in sports history.
Left-hander against right-hander! A graceful stroke-maker against the ultimate hustler!
Federer and Nadal are a compelling study of contrasts and always blockbuster viewing.
Nadal might lead 23-10 in all matches, 9-2 in Grand Slam matches, but eight matches have gone the full distance and 21 sets have been decided in a tiebreak.
Tennis has known few players as dominant as Federer and Nadal.
From Nadal’s first Grand Slam victory at the 2005 French Open until the 2011 French Open, Federer and Nadal had won 22 of 25 Grand Slam titles (12 for Federer, 10 for Nadal).
In the history of tennis, Federer and Nadal are the only pair to face each other in eight Grand Slam singles finals in the span of six years. This broke the previous record of seven finals set by Bill Tilden and William Johnston (1919–25 U.S. Championships).
Federer and Nadal are the only pair of players in the Open era to have met four times in the final at one Slam (at the French Open).
Federer and Nadal are the only No. 1 and No. 2 pair to win 11 consecutive Grand Slam singles tournaments between them (from the 2005 French Open to the 2007 US Open). In this period, Federer won three-consecutive titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open and two-consecutive titles at the Australian Open, while Nadal won three-consecutive French Open titles.
Nadal won a record 81 consecutive matches on clay between 2005 and 2007.
Federer won a record 65 consecutive matches on grass courts between 2003 and 2008 and 56 on hard courts between 2004 and 2006.
Federer and Nadal have played a record 20 finals against each other on the ATP tour.
A lot has happened in the world since Feeder and Nadal ascended to the top of tennis.
When the two began their rivalry, Facebook and Twitter did not exist and smoking in bars was ok.
For Roarers, there are a few questions to end with. What is their greatest match? Who is the greater player?
Do you think Federer could win another slam and how would they have gone as a doubles pairing?
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