Federer and Nadal share a strong and healthy friendship.

Rafael Nadal was the first one to know about Roger Federer’s retirement, Federer: Twelve Final Days reveals

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at 2022 Laver Cup (via Imago)

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal share a strong bond and it reflects every time they meet. What started as a neck-to-neck rivalry turned into a friendship for ages and the bond became so strong that Federer found an ally in Nadal at the fag end of his career. The extent of their friendship could be understood from the fact that Nadal was the first one to know about the Swiss’ retirement.

A new documentary on Federer’s last twelve days on the tour, Federer: Twelve Final Days, set to be released in a few days, has revealed that Nadal was informed about Federer’s retirement 10 days in advance. The Swiss maestro had confided in his biggest rival that he was going to hang his racket.

As Federer retired on 15th September, Nadal was informed about it on 5th. An article in the Vogue World, reviewing the documentary has claimed that Nadal was the first person outside Federer’s family and management to know about the Swiss’ retirement plans.

The affection between the two is tangible throughout. (It was Nadal, alone among players, whom Federer told about his retirement 10 days before anybody else outside his family and management.)

Fans establish connection between Rafael Nadal’s absent-mindedness with Roger Federer’s retirement news

As this revelation came out in public, fans were quick to remember the viral video that showed Rafael Nadal zoned out during his match on 5th September. Fans connected the dots and claimed that it was most probably due to Nadal getting to know about Roger Federer‘s retirement.

Roger Federer and Rafael NadalRoger Federer and Rafael Nadal (via Imago)

Oh my fu***ng god, Federer told Nadal he will retire 10 days earlier than the others. He announced his retirement on 15th Sep. He told Nadal on 5th September. Nadal lost to Tiafoe on 5th September. This cannot be real, this news broke Nadal.

A user on X wrote while sharing Rafael Nadal’s video from his match on 5th.

A fan also shared the video showing Nadal zoned out while his family asked him to take some caffeine.

Notably, Rafael Nadal was in tears when Federer played his last match on the tour. The Spaniard has said quite a few times that it felt like “a part of him left” when the Swiss tennis legend retired.