Tennis fans were elated by Roger Federer’s kind words of encouragement and hope for his great rival and friend, Rafael Nadal. The King of Clay has struggled with a prolonged injury, and fans were delighted that the 20-time Grand Slam champion also hopes his friend will be back healthy.


Nadal suffered an injury to the iliopsoas muscle of his left leg during the 2023 Australian Open and has not played on the ATP tour since. Recently, the 36-year-old announced that he was taking a break from tennis for “several months,” hoping to return in 2024 for one last season.


In a Q&A with his fans on Twitter, Roger Federer was asked if he could offer any “consolation” for the Spaniard’s fans. The 41-year-old responded by saying:


Federer has remained a huge supporter of Nadal throughout their rivalry and even after his retirement. Tennis fans were delighted by his support for the Spaniard, stating that he was “fangirling” over Nadal, just like Iga Swiatek. While another suggested, he used the Q&A just to talk about the King of Clay.


Most fans were simply touched by Federer’s love for his friend and thanked him for his kindness.