<p>Five great matches between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer after the Spanish great announced Thursday that 2024 will likely be his final season before retirement:</p>.<p><strong>-- </strong>On March 28, 2004, a 17-year-old Nadal, ranked at 34, and world number one Federer met for the first time at the Miami Masters and the Spaniard came out on top 6-3, 6-3 in just 70 minutes.</p>.<p>Federer had already won a second major at the Australian Open earlier in the year and arrived in Florida having captured the Indian Wells title.</p>.<p>However, Nadal was untroubled as he became the youngest player to defeat a world number one, victory moving him into the last 16 where he was defeated by big-hitting Fernando Gonzalez.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/nadal-pulls-out-of-french-open-set-to-end-career-in-2024-1219918.html" target="_blank">Nadal pulls out of French Open, set to end career in 2024</a></strong></p>.<p><strong>-- </strong>In a blueprint of their epics to come, Nadal recovered from 1-4 down in the final set of the Italian Open and saved two match points to win 6-7 (0/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5).</p>.<p>The final took more than five hours to play and moved Nadal to 53 straight wins on clay, matching Guillermo Vilas' record.</p>.<p><strong>-- </strong>Playing in a ninth successive Grand Slam final, Federer equalled Bjorn Borg's record of five Wimbledon titles with a 7-6 (9/7), 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-2 victory over Nadal, but the Spanish star did more than enough to suggest that he would be holding the famous trophy himself sooner rather than later.</p>.<p>"He's playing phenomenal tennis," said Federer of Nadal after the two played a second successive final at the All England Club.</p>.<p>"He came so close today - he deserves a title here. It is building up to one of the great rivalries."</p>.<p>Nadal was left to regret failing to convert two break points in the deciding set.</p>.<p>"Maybe to compare myself with Roger is not possible yet - he has 11 Grand Slams, I have three - but I'm young and I'm improving every season."</p>.<p><strong>--</strong> Twelve months later, they met again in the Wimbledon final, one of the greatest ever played.</p>.<p>In almost complete darkness after a final interrupted by rain, Nadal won his fifth Grand Slam title and first outside of the French Open.</p>.<p>He missed two championship points in the fourth set but steadied to triumph 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (8/10), 9-7.</p>.<p>With his victory in four hours and 48 minutes, Nadal became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back.</p>.<p>"For me, it was the most emotional match I ever played in, probably the best," said Nadal.</p>.<p>"I tried everything, but Rafa is a deserving champion, he just played fantastic," said Federer, who converted just one of 13 break points.</p>.<p><strong>--</strong> In their ninth and last Grand Slam final clash, 35-year-old Federer became the second oldest man in the Open era to win a Grand Slam since 37-year-old Ken Rosewall at the 1972 Australian Open.</p>.<p>Federer came from a break down in the final set to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to capture his first Slam title in almost five years. The previous year, Federer had sat out six months with a knee injury.</p>.<p>"It's been a difficult last six months. I didn't think I was going to make it here," said Federer after lifting his 18th major and fifth Australian Open.</p>.<p>Nadal said: "It is amazing how he is playing after all this time away from the tour. I am very happy for you."</p>.<p>The overall head-to-head is Nadal 24, Federer 16.</p>
<p>Five great matches between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer after the Spanish great announced Thursday that 2024 will likely be his final season before retirement:</p>.<p><strong>-- </strong>On March 28, 2004, a 17-year-old Nadal, ranked at 34, and world number one Federer met for the first time at the Miami Masters and the Spaniard came out on top 6-3, 6-3 in just 70 minutes.</p>.<p>Federer had already won a second major at the Australian Open earlier in the year and arrived in Florida having captured the Indian Wells title.</p>.<p>However, Nadal was untroubled as he became the youngest player to defeat a world number one, victory moving him into the last 16 where he was defeated by big-hitting Fernando Gonzalez.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/nadal-pulls-out-of-french-open-set-to-end-career-in-2024-1219918.html" target="_blank">Nadal pulls out of French Open, set to end career in 2024</a></strong></p>.<p><strong>-- </strong>In a blueprint of their epics to come, Nadal recovered from 1-4 down in the final set of the Italian Open and saved two match points to win 6-7 (0/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5).</p>.<p>The final took more than five hours to play and moved Nadal to 53 straight wins on clay, matching Guillermo Vilas' record.</p>.<p><strong>-- </strong>Playing in a ninth successive Grand Slam final, Federer equalled Bjorn Borg's record of five Wimbledon titles with a 7-6 (9/7), 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-2 victory over Nadal, but the Spanish star did more than enough to suggest that he would be holding the famous trophy himself sooner rather than later.</p>.<p>"He's playing phenomenal tennis," said Federer of Nadal after the two played a second successive final at the All England Club.</p>.<p>"He came so close today - he deserves a title here. It is building up to one of the great rivalries."</p>.<p>Nadal was left to regret failing to convert two break points in the deciding set.</p>.<p>"Maybe to compare myself with Roger is not possible yet - he has 11 Grand Slams, I have three - but I'm young and I'm improving every season."</p>.<p><strong>--</strong> Twelve months later, they met again in the Wimbledon final, one of the greatest ever played.</p>.<p>In almost complete darkness after a final interrupted by rain, Nadal won his fifth Grand Slam title and first outside of the French Open.</p>.<p>He missed two championship points in the fourth set but steadied to triumph 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (8/10), 9-7.</p>.<p>With his victory in four hours and 48 minutes, Nadal became the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back.</p>.<p>"For me, it was the most emotional match I ever played in, probably the best," said Nadal.</p>.<p>"I tried everything, but Rafa is a deserving champion, he just played fantastic," said Federer, who converted just one of 13 break points.</p>.<p><strong>--</strong> In their ninth and last Grand Slam final clash, 35-year-old Federer became the second oldest man in the Open era to win a Grand Slam since 37-year-old Ken Rosewall at the 1972 Australian Open.</p>.<p>Federer came from a break down in the final set to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to capture his first Slam title in almost five years. The previous year, Federer had sat out six months with a knee injury.</p>.<p>"It's been a difficult last six months. I didn't think I was going to make it here," said Federer after lifting his 18th major and fifth Australian Open.</p>.<p>Nadal said: "It is amazing how he is playing after all this time away from the tour. I am very happy for you."</p>.<p>The overall head-to-head is Nadal 24, Federer 16.</p>