Supportive and Collaborative

While it might sound contradictory to call the Federer-Nadal rivalry supportive and collaborative, fans of both superstar athletes and those familiar with their history know that at their cores, these players are great champions of each other.

Roger Federer and Rafael (Rafa) Nadal played each other 40 times in their careers. While Nadal leads 24-16, they consistently showed up as impressively worthy opponents to each other. They were a dominant force in men’s professional tennis for decades with 42 major singles titles between them and faced each other in nine Grand Slam titles.

Their rivalry, and partnership, embodies sportsmanship at its best; their legacy will continue to inspire athletes and teammates everywhere.