Federer pens tribute to retiring Nadal

Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer has paid tribute to his retiring rival Rafa Nadal, telling the Spaniard he challenged him like no other player and that he had made the tennis world proud during a glittering career lasting over two decades. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Nadal could not conjure the fairytale ending his career deserved as the winner of 22 grand slam titles bowed out with defeat in the Davis Cup on an emotionally charged and tearful night in Malaga on Tuesday. Federer, 43, who was part of the “Big Three” of men’s tennis alongside Nadal and Novak Djokovic, posted a letter on X looking back at his rivalry with the 38-year-old. “Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me – a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could,” Federer said of Nadal, who edged their rivalry 24-16. + Is Federer the Greatest of All Time? “On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ...