The amazing fact that will make us miss Nadal and Federer at the Australian Open

Rafael Nadal And Roger Federer They marked a before and after in tennis history. They shared rivalries, confrontations and countless moments that generally delighted all sports fans.

However, the passage of time is not beyond the reach of anyone, not even mythology. In 2022, Federer announced his retirement from tennis, leaving behind an invaluable legacy. Nadal, who is still active, is in the midst of a struggle with his fitness and announced that he will not participate in the Australian Open match due to a new injury.

What does this mean? Melbourne will not have any main draw for the first time since 1999 (i.e. after 25 years). Between them they have won eight titles in this competition: six from Federer and two from Nadal.

In their healthy rivalry, the Spaniard and the Swiss have faced each other 40 times (24-16 in favor of Manacori). Four of them were in this competition. Nadal won three times: in the 2009 final (an unforgettable five-set battle) and in the semifinals in 2012 and 2014 (in four and three sets respectively; Federer won the last match, in the 2017 final, in one of the most emotional matches in history.

The years will continue to pass. New stars will be born, new rivalries will be formed, new records will be broken, and tennis will move on. However, their footprints will forever remain distinctive.