Roger Federer Under Scrutiny as Tennis Insider Considers Rafael Nadal More Authentic: “Always Thought About Money”

Rafael Nadal retired from professional tennis in November 2024, while Roger Federer did so in 2022.

Roger Federer Under Scrutiny as Tennis Insider Considers Rafael Nadal More Authentic: “Always Thought About Money”

Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer (Image via X/TNT Sports)

In Short
  • Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal celebrated Nadal's retirement at a ceremony in Paris after their historic rivalry.
  • Federer retired in 2022, while Nadal announced his retirement following the 2024 Davis Cup Finals.
  • A tennis insider criticized Federer for being distant and self-focused compared to Nadal's genuine and competitive nature.

Last year, for the first time in years, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer gathered on Court Philippe-Chatrier in a beautiful ceremony to mark the end of the Spanish legend’s achievement at the French Open and celebrate his retirement from tennis. The meeting came years following their incredible battles in Paris between 2009 and 2019.

Without a doubt, Federer and Nadal changed the sport’s landscape and attracted millions of fans. The well-admired legends made a name for themselves by winning titles on the court and in their rivalries. Federer was the first man to win 20 Grand Slams in the Open Era, but Nadal went on to top him by winning 22.

Federer retired from the sport in 2022 at the Laver Cup in London. Before then, the Swiss legend had struggled with injuries that forced him to get inconsistent on tour.

Nadal followed suit at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. The Spaniard participated in just one Grand Slam that year before announcing his retirement.

Despite his last match in the 2024 Davis Cup, the French Open organizers believed a ceremony was needed to celebrate the 39-year-old’s accomplishments at Roland Garros. The 14-time French Open winner made a lasting impression on fans and tennis lovers with his iconic displays on the clay court.

Gilles Jourdan, a key figure involved in the modernization project of the Roland Garros Stadium, met with Nadal and Federer during their time on tour. Jourdan, who served as the director of works during the large-scale renovation of the Roland Garros, admitted that Nadal built his reputation on relentless competitiveness, while Federer was polite and professional but was noticeably distant in interactions:

Rafa was more likable than Roger. Our feeling was that Roger was only concerned with himself. He did not give anything, including his time. He was polite, but nothing more. He thought a lot about money, a lot. There was no interaction. He was not mean or rude. But we used to say that he was not exactly the ideal son-in-law. On the other hand, Rafa was genuine.

Nadal’s last match at Roland Garros was in 2024 when he met Alexander Zverev in the first round. The former World No.1 faced the German star at the peak of his form as he had just won the Italian Open. However, Nadal can boast of an amazing 112 wins and just four losses at the Roland Garros in Paris.

ATP player reflects on win against Rafael Nadal at the 2023 Australian Open

Rafael Nadal had stunned the world by winning the Australian Open in 2022 after coming from a set down to beat Daniil Medvedev. The Spaniard was dubbed to win more Slams after the remarkable victory, but things changed for him the following year. As the top seed for the 2023 Melbourne Grand Slam, he exited early after losing in straight sets to American Mackenzie McDonald.

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal (via X/The Tennis Letter)

The shocking loss didn’t come out of the blue; Nadal was struggling with a hip injury during the match. He never fully recovered from the injury until he retired from the sport. In fact, he didn’t play a match for the remainder of the 2024 season. Reflecting on the match in an interview with Clay, McDonald admitted it was the biggest win of his career:

For me that was a big match, the biggest match of my career, beating Rafa at a Slam. I was playing some of the best tennis I’ve ever played that day, and getting that win was special, but I knew he was hurting in the third set. I was absolutely ripping the ball. It was sad to see him go out that way. I felt like that was really the fall for him, but in the moment, I had to keep my composure.

Nadal returned to the court during the 2024 season and played at the Brisbane International, but withdrew from the Australian Open. He skipped several tournaments with the intention of having his best shot during the clay season and the Paris Olympics, but it didn’t work out as expected for the former World No.1.

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