Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal enjoyed a legendary rivalry on the ATP Tour.
There are few names more synonymous with tennis than Federer and Nadal’s, with the pair racking up a combined 42 Major titles during their time in the sport.The ATP Tour was dominated by the duo, alongside Serbian star Novak Djokovic, for almost two decades, as they picked up big titles on a regular basis.
The pair last played together at the 2022 Laver Cup, as Federer and Nadal teamed up for the Swiss’ last match as a professional.
Nadal retired from tennis in 2024, joining Federer in hanging up his racket, after 21 years at the very top of the game.They left the game in a better place than they found it, thrilling fans throughout their tenure in the sport with several classic encounters.
Looking back, one top ATP Tour coach has given his thoughts on how their rivalry played out and noticed one particular shot that made a real difference
Speaking on Instagram, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune’s former coach Patrick Mouratoglou explained what happened at the beginning of Federer and Nadal’s rivalry that gave the Spaniard the edge.
“When Roger [Federer] was returning slice against Rafa [Nadal], he was losing the point probably 99% of the time, he said.When you slice against Rafa, he’s turning around the backhand, and he can use his forehand and start to make you run, and he barely loses the point.”
Mouratoglou went on to detail the change the Swiss star made during his later encounters with Nadal that saw him enjoy success.
“Towards the end of his career, Roger started to return flat on Rafa’s serve and it kind of changed the dynamics between those two,” he said.
The French coach was happy to see Federer adjust, as he prefers to see players use a ‘flat return’, although he recognizes the importance of the ‘slice’.
“My favorite is the return flat because you’re able to create pace,” he said.
With a slice it’s a bit more defensive, as a shot, it’s important to know how to return slice, because in a way it’s easier to control the ball with a slice.
“It’s more natural with the slice to control the ball, and it’s also a good way to keep the ball very low, and against some opponents it’s an advantage.”
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