Federer -- Nadal rivalry - wikipedia Federer -- Nadal rivalry This lead saying `` greatest in tennis history '' possibly contains inappropriate or misinterpreted citations that do not verify the text. Please help improve this article by checking for citation inaccuracies. ( March 2017 ) Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, on their respective favorite surfaces, grass and clay The Federer -- Nadal rivalry is between two professional tennis players, Roger Federer of Switzerland and Rafael Nadal of Spain. They are engaged in a storied rivalry, which many consider to be the greatest in tennis history. They have played 38 times, most recently in the final of the 2017 Shanghai Masters and Nadal leads their fourteen - year - old rivalry with an overall record of 23 -- 15. Of their 38 matches, 20 have been on hard court, 15 have been on clay, and three have been on grass. The results of their matches are somewhat polarized by playing surface, with Nadal leading Federer on clay ( 13 -- 2 ) and outdoor hard courts ( 8 - 6 ), but with Federer having edge on both indoor hard courts ( 5 - 1 ) and grass ( 2 -- 1 ). Nadal has won 6 out of their 9 head - to - head Grand Slam matches ; He leads 5 -- 0 at the French Open and 3 - 1 at Australian open, while Federer leads 2 -- 1 at Wimbledon. The two have yet to meet at the U.S. Open. Federer and Nadal are the only pair of men to have finished six consecutive calendar years as the top two ranked players on the ATP Tour, which they did from 2005 to 2010 and seven overall ( also confirmed to happen in 2017 ). This included a record 211 consecutive weeks sharing the top two rankings from July 2005 to August 2009. As tournament seedings are based on rankings, with the top two seeds placed on opposite sides of the draw, 24 of Nadal and Federer 's 38 matches have been in tournament finals, including an all - time record nine Grand Slam finals and 12 Masters Series finals. Another nine have been semifinals, two have been quarterfinals, with only three taking place before the last - 8 stage. In 31 out of 38 matches between Nadal and Federer, the winner of the first set won the match. From 2006 to 2008, they played in every French Open and Wimbledon final. Their 2008 Wimbledon final was lauded as the greatest match ever by many long - time tennis analysts. Their 2017 Australian Open final was widely regarded as among the most highly anticipated Grand Slam finals of all time due to the tennis history that would be made from either player 's victory, the subsequent implications on both players ' respective legacies, and the relevance within popular and critical discussions on who between them can claim to be ' the greatest tennis player of all time '. Contents 1 History 1.1 2004 : Miami 1.2 2005 : Miami, French Open 1.3 2006 : Dubai, Monte Carlo, Rome, French Open, Wimbledon, Masters Cup 1.4 2007 : Monte Carlo, Hamburg, French Open, Wimbledon, Masters Cup 1.5 2008 : Monte Carlo, Hamburg, French Open, Wimbledon 1.6 2009 : Australian Open, Madrid 1.7 2010 : Madrid, World Tour Finals 1.8 2011 : Miami, Madrid, French Open, World Tour Finals 1.9 2012 : Australian Open, Indian Wells 1.10 2013 : Indian Wells, Rome, Cincinnati, World Tour Finals 1.11 2014 : Australian Open 1.12 2015 : Basel 1.13 2017 : Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami, Shanghai 2 Analysis 2.1 Significant aspects 2.2 Comparison of Grand Slam tournament titles 2.3 Comparison of Masters 1000 titles 2.4 Comparison of Year - End Championships 2.5 Head - to - head tallies 2.5. 1 Set tallies 2.5. 2 Hard 2.5. 3 Clay 2.5. 4 Grass 2.6 Skill comparisons 2.7 Media and player commentary 3 Relationship and competitive dynamic 3.1 Cultural impact 4 Pairing Federer and Nadal 4.1 Significant achievements 5 List of all head - to - head matches 5.1 Singles 5.2 Doubles 5.3 Exhibitions 6 Records 7 Miscellaneous 8 Performance timeline comparison 8.1 Grand Slam tournaments 8.1. 1 1999 -- 2004 8.1. 2 2005 -- 2010 8.1. 3 2011 -- 2016 8.1. 4 2017 -- present 8.2 By age ( end of season ) 8.2. 1 18 -- 22 8.2. 2 23 -- 27 8.2. 3 28 -- 32 8.2. 4 33 -- 37 8.3 ATP Rankings 8.3. 1 Year - End ranking timeline 8.3. 2 ATP Year - End ranking timeline by age 9 Career evolution 9.1 Titles by tournaments played comparison 9.2 Federer -- Nadal Grand Slam era ( 2003 -- Present ) 9.3 Combined singles performance timeline ( best result ) 9.4 Federer -- Nadal ATP world No. 1 era 10 See also 11 References 12 External links History 2004 : Miami Federer and Nadal played their first match in March 2004 at the third round of the Miami Masters. Nadal, only 17 years old and ranked No. 34 at the time, surprised many by beating the then No. 1 in straight sets. 2005 : Miami, French Open Their second meeting was one year later, again in Miami, but this time in a best - of - five - set final. Federer recovered from a two - set deficit to win in five sets. They played again two months later in the semifinals of the French Open, which was their first match on clay. Nadal defeated Federer in four sets en route to his first Grand Slam title. 2006 : Dubai, Monte Carlo, Rome, French Open, Wimbledon, Masters Cup Nadal serves to Federer during the 2006 Wimbledon final. Federer celebrates his eighth Grand Slam title after a win over Nadal. In 2006, Nadal and Federer faced each other in six matches. Nadal won the first four, beginning with the Dubai final in February played on hard court. This was Federer 's first loss of the year and ended his Open era record of 56 consecutive wins on hard courts. The clay season ensued, and Nadal continued his dominance on clay, defeating Federer in the finals of the Monte Carlo Masters, the Rome Masters, and the French Open, in what was their first Grand Slam final. Federer won the first set quickly, but Nadal fought back and took the next three sets to capture his second French Open title. In the Rome final, Federer held two championship points on Nadal 's serve at 5 -- 6 in the fifth set, but failed to convert. Federer then led 5 -- 3 in the fifth - set tiebreaker, but Nadal won the next four points to claim the title. At five hours and five minutes, this is the longest match Federer and Nadal have ever contested. They faced off again a month later in the final of Wimbledon, which was their first meeting on grass. Federer won in four sets to capture his fourth consecutive Wimbledon title with two sets going to tiebreakers. They did not meet again until the semifinals of the year - end Masters Cup. Federer won in straight sets, en route to his third Masters Cup title in four years. At year 's end, Nadal 's career head - to - head advantage had risen to 6 -- 3. 2007 : Monte Carlo, Hamburg, French Open, Wimbledon, Masters Cup Federer in the finals of Monte Carlo 2007 Nadal and Federer faced each other five times in 2007, and Federer won three of their matches. For the second straight year, Federer and Nadal played in three finals on clay. Nadal won the first meeting in straight sets, winning his third consecutive Monte Carlo title. A few weeks later they met at the Hamburg Masters, where Federer defeated Nadal for the first time on clay and ended his 81 - match winning streak on clay. Nadal in the finals of Monte Carlo 2007. Their next encounter was the French Open final, and Nadal won their much - anticipated rematch in four sets, capturing his third consecutive French Open title. Their last two meetings in 2007 were also a repeat of 2006 : the finals of Wimbledon and the semifinals of the Masters Cup. Once again, Federer won both matches, though their Wimbledon final lasted five sets, instead of the previous year 's four sets. By the end of the year Federer narrowed the head - to - head record to 6 -- 8. 2008 : Monte Carlo, Hamburg, French Open, Wimbledon Federer and Nadal played four times in 2008, and Nadal won all four times, extending his career advantage to 12 -- 6. For the third straight year, Federer and Nadal played in three clay - court finals. Nadal beat Federer in the Monte Carlo Masters for the third straight year, capturing his Open - Era - record fourth consecutive title there. A few weeks later Nadal avenged his only clay - court loss to Federer by defeating him in three sets for his first Hamburg Masters title. Federer had double - break leads in the first sets of both Monte Carlo and Hamburg, but could not close out the sets. Federer and Nadal during the 2008 Wimbledon final Also for the third straight year, they played in the final of the French Open. Nadal won his fourth consecutive French Open title, by a score of 6 -- 1, 6 -- 3, 6 -- 0. The scoreline puts the match among the most one - sided in Grand Slam finals history. Nadal and Federer also met in the final of Wimbledon for the third straight year, in the most anticipated match of their rivalry. Amidst rain delays, they played the longest final in Wimbledon history ( 4 hours and 48 minutes ), and Nadal captured the title, winning a fifth set that finished in near darkness. This match broke Federer 's Open - Era - record 65 - match winning streak on grass, which spanned more than five years. 2009 : Australian Open, Madrid Federer in the finals of Australian Open 2009. Federer and Nadal played each other only twice in 2009, splitting their matches. Both players began the year strong, reaching the final of the Australian Open. This was the first hard - court Grand Slam final for Nadal, but Federer was undefeated in eight hard - court finals ( five US Open, three Australian ). The final was long ( 4 hours and 23 minutes ) and competitive in the first four sets, with Nadal pulling away decisively in the fifth set to secure his first hard - court championship. Nadal in the finals of Australian Open 2009 Federer rebounded against Nadal at the Madrid Masters ( their first match on Spanish soil ), defeating him in the final in straight sets. This was a pivotal match because it broke Nadal 's five - match winning streak against Federer. The victory by Federer also ended Nadal 's 33 - match winning streak on clay and foreshadowed the Swiss ' historic victory at Roland Garros, which completed his Career Grand Slam. 2010 : Madrid, World Tour finals In 2010, Federer and Nadal played twice, with Nadal winning the first and Federer winning the second match. The two met in the final of the Madrid Open, one year after their last match, and Nadal defeated Federer in straight sets. Federer and Nadal met in the 2010 ATP World Tour Finals ' final, marking their third meeting at the year - end championships and their first ever meeting in the finals. Federer continued his indoor dominance against Nadal, winning in three sets. This victory gave Federer a record - tying fifth title at the year - end tournament. Federer and Nadal met in the finals of the Year - End Championships for the first time in 2010. 2011 : Miami, Madrid, French Open, World Tour finals Federer and Nadal played four singles matches, with Nadal winning the first three matches and Federer winning the last match. Their lone doubles match was at the BNP Paribas Open. Federer, partnering with Stanislas Wawrinka, defeated Nadal and Marc López in the semifinals. In their first singles match of 2011, the two met in the semifinals of the Miami Masters, where Nadal won in straight sets. They met in the semifinals at the Mutua Madrid Open, and Nadal won in three sets. They then met in the final of the 2011 French Open, their first Grand Slam meeting since the 2009 Australian Open final. Although it was a competitive match, Nadal again defeated Federer in four sets to win his tenth Grand Slam title and sixth French Open crown. This denied Federer an opportunity to become the first man in the open era to have won all four grand slam tournaments twice. This would be their last meeting at a Grand Slam final until the 2017 Australian Open final. Their final meeting of the year came in the round - robin stage of the 2011 ATP World Tour Finals. Their match, a rematch of the previous year 's final, saw Federer win a lopsided match in straight sets. 2012 : Australian Open, Indian Wells Federer defeated Nadal in a memorable first meeting at Indian Wells that included a rain delay on match point. Federer and Nadal first met during 2012 in the semifinals of the 2012 Australian Open. Federer was leading by a set and a break before a 20 - minute fireworks delay due to the celebrations of Australia Day. After the delay, Nadal came back to win in four sets, improving his hard - court record over Federer. They next met in the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters, where Federer won the match in straight sets en route to claiming his fourth Indian Wells Masters title. 2013 : Indian Wells, Rome, Cincinnati, World Tour finals Federer and Nadal met four times in 2013 with Nadal prevailing on every occasion. Federer and Nadal met for the first time during the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells Masters. It was the earliest the pair had met in a tournament since 2004, with Nadal winning in straight sets. On 1 April, by winning the Miami Masters, Andy Murray passed Federer in the ATP Rankings for second place. This marked the first time since 10 November 2003 that neither Federer nor Nadal was ranked in the ATP top 2, a span of an unprecedented 490 weeks. Nadal then defeated Federer in the 2013 Rome Masters final in two sets. They finally played in the quarterfinals at the 2013 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, where Nadal unseated the five - time champion in the quarterfinals in three sets. Federer had just switched back to his old racquet after experimenting with a larger frame in his previous two tournaments. Nadal and Federer met in semifinals of the indoor event, 2013 ATP World Tour Finals in the O2 arena. Nadal beat Federer in straight sets. This was Nadal 's first win over Federer on indoor hard courts. This would also be Federer 's last career match played with his 90 - inch racquet before upgrading to a larger frame. 2014 : Australian Open Federer and Nadal had their only meeting of the 2014 season in the semifinals of the Australian Open. Nadal won in straight sets and improved his record to 3 -- 0 against Federer at the Australian Open ( 9 -- 2 overall in majors ). This was the first Grand Slam tournament that Federer played after switching to a new larger racquet. 2015 : Basel In November 2015, Federer defeated Nadal in three sets in the final of the Swiss Indoors. This was their first encounter on Swiss soil, as Federer captured a seventh title in his hometown of Basel. It was Federer 's first victory over Nadal in over 3 and a half years, having lost the previous five meetings. 2017 : Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami, Shanghai Federer defeated Nadal to capture a record 18th Grand Slam. Federer and Nadal played four times in 2017, with Federer prevailing on all four occasions. This marked the first time in their rivalry that Federer confronted and went undefeated against Nadal multiple times in a single tennis season. The rivalry was renewed in the 2017 Australian Open final, their first meeting in a Grand Slam final since 2011. Federer, returning from a six - month layoff from knee injury that saw him miss out most of the 2016 season, came into the tournament seeded 17th, and Nadal seeded 9th. Prior to the match, Nadal had won every match between the two in a Grand Slam tournament since the Wimbledon final in 2007, three of which were in the Australian Open. Federer came back from a break down in the fifth set to take the match, becoming the first man in history to win 18 Grand Slam singles titles and the first man to win at least five titles in three different Grand Slam tournaments each, and denying Nadal 's third effort to win the Australian Open title again and also his second opportunity to become the first man in the Open Era to win each Grand Slam in men 's singles at least twice. Federer 's victory over Nadal in the Australian Open 2017 final also marked his first win over Nadal in a Grand Slam match outside the grass courts of Wimbledon. They met again at Indian Wells in the round of 16, only their second - ever meeting before the quarterfinal stage in any tournament. Federer prevailed in straight sets ; it was the first time he had won three matches in a row against Nadal. Their 37th meeting came in the Miami final. This was their first meeting in a final on American soil since the 2005 Miami final, and Federer won in straight sets, his 4th consecutive win over Nadal. In the 2017 Laver Cup Nadal and Federer played doubles together for the first time, against Sam Querrey / Jack Sock, and won in a final set super tiebreaker. Federer and Nadal met at the Shanghai Masters for the first time, contesting the final. Federer won in straight sets, claiming a fifth consecutive win over Nadal. Federer 's newfound success against Nadal has been ascribed to the improvement in the backhand, which he has been hitting harder and more easily returning Nadal 's high bouncing forehand with the larger racquet. Analysis Significant aspects The rivalry between Federer and Nadal has been a huge part of both men 's careers. Their Grand Slam tournament histories are of particular interest, especially their all - time record of nine finals encounters. This includes playing French Open and Wimbledon finals for three consecutive years ( 2006 -- 08 ), culminating in what many consider the greatest match in tennis history at Wimbledon 2008. Nadal, who had to defeat Federer during each of his first six Grand Slam title runs, possesses a 6 -- 3 advantage in their finals encounters plus three victories in semifinals. Nadal denied Federer a Career Grand Slam plus two potential Calendar Year Grand Slams ( 2006 -- 07 ) by defeating him at the French Open every year from 2005 -- 08. Federer would complete a Career Grand Slam by winning the French title in 2009 after Nadal was upset in the fourth round. Meanwhile, Federer twice denied Nadal from becoming the first man since Björn Borg in 1980 to win the `` Channel Slam '' ( both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year ) by defeating him in their first two Wimbledon finals, but Nadal succeeded the following year. This was the first of three combined Channel Slams with Federer accomplishing it in 2009 followed by Nadal 's second in 2010. Federer has also prevented Nadal from winning the Year - End Championships by defeating him in the 2010 finals and eliminating Nadal from the tournament in the 2006 and 2007 semifinals preventing Nadal from becoming only the second man after Andre Agassi to win a Career Grand Slam, a gold singles Olympic medal, and the Year End Championships, a distinction dubbed as a `` Career Super Slam '' by Sports Illustrated. In their latest match in the 2017 Australian Open final, Federer won a record - breaking 18th singles major while denying Nadal 's second opportunity ( the 2014 Australian Open final was the first ) to become the first man in the Open Era to have won each of the Grand Slams twice in men 's singles. Their record six consecutive calendar years atop the rankings from 2005 -- 10 was due to their unprecedented combined performance in the Grand Slam and Masters Series tournaments. During this span, they captured a combined record 21 of the 24 Grand Slam tournament titles ( 12 for Federer, 9 for Nadal ), including a record 11 consecutive titles from 2005 -- 07. They also dominated the Masters Series, combining for 31 of the 54 titles ( 18 for Nadal, 13 for Federer ), including 8 of 9 in 2005 ( 4 each ). Additionally, Federer won 4 of 6 year - end tournaments. Finally, both men not only possess Open - Era records for consecutive wins on a single surface -- Federer on both grass ( 65 ) and hard courts ( 56 ), Nadal on clay courts ( 81 ) -- but each of these streaks was broken by the other player. Their respective dominance on grass and clay was the impetus for the `` Battle of Surfaces '', an exhibition match on a half - grass, half - clay court, which Nadal won with a 12 -- 10 in the deciding tiebreak in May 2007 when both the grass and clay streaks were still active. Of their 38 matches, 20 have been on hard court, 15 have been on clay, and 3 have been on grass. Federer has a winning record on his best surface, grass ( 2 -- 1 ), and on hard court ( 11 -- 9 ) while Nadal leads on his best surface, clay ( 13 -- 2 ). Nadal leads in Grand Slam tournament matches ( 9 -- 3 ), with five of these wins coming on the clay courts of Roland Garros. Analysts, commentators and pundits increasingly recognize that Nadal is a bad matchup for Federer, as the heavy topspin created by Nadal 's groundstrokes combined with his strategy of directing the majority of his serves and groundstrokes to Federer 's single - handed backhand keeps Federer on the defensive and makes it harder for Federer to use his aggressive groundstrokes to dominate baseline rallies as he typically does against other opponents. Federer says he is a `` different player due to Nadal 's presence '' citing Nadal 's game as a major reason for improvements in areas of his own game. There are several factors to consider in analyzing the head - to - head tally between Nadal and Federer. Nadal 's head - to - head advantage is built on his ability to dominate on clay whilst remaining competitive on the other two surfaces. Nadal leads by a 13 -- 2 margin on clay, which is statistically his strongest surface and Federer 's weakest, while the record on the other two surfaces combined currently stands at 13 -- 10 in Federer 's favour. There is debate as to how much of a role sickness and injury have played in the rivalry. Federer contracted mononucleosis in late December of 2007 which lasted, according to his doctors, for at least six weeks. Some believe that the after - effects of the illness were with him throughout the year though there is some evidence that he was over the illness by March, a month before the first of their matches. Nevertheless, as Chris Bowers wrote in his biography of Federer, Federer `` may well have had a very mild dose, but, looking back on Federer 's 2008, the fact that he played through it means it is medically quite plausible that it robbed him of strength for the first half of the year ''. Federer also suffered from a back injury in 2013. During these years when Federer had mononucleosis ( 2008 ) and the significant year - long back injury ( 2013 ), he went 0 -- 8 against Nadal which significantly skewed their head to head record. Another aspect that has shaped their rivalry has been that of racquet equipment. Nadal has always used a large 100 square inch racquet, however, Federer used a significantly smaller 90 inch racquet in their matches from 2004 - 2013. This was the size Federer had always played with since a youth, but in an age of increasing power tennis this substantially smaller racquet put him at a disadvantage. During the period in which Nadal enjoyed this advantage in racquet equipment he complied a 22 - 10 record. In early 2014 Federer began experimenting with a larger frame and played Nadal in just his second tournament using this larger prototype. Nadal won this match and took his advantage to 23 - 10. However, since Federer committed to his new 97.5 inch Wilson Prostaff he has flipped their rivalry upside down going an undefeated 5 - 0 in their matches with equally modern racquet equipment. Many analysts have claimed that Federer 's switch to a modern sized racquet and his subsequent dominance, in addition to the vast improvements it has made to his single handed backhand, have proven that he was playing with a handicap for most of their rivalry. Comparison of Grand Slam tournament titles As of 2017, Roger Federer holds the all - time record for the most Grand Slam tournament titles with 19. Federer 's Grand Slam tournament titles include 10 on hard courts, 8 on grass, and 1 on clay. Nadal is second on the all - time list for the most Grand Slam titles with 16 in total : 10 on clay, 4 on hard courts, and 2 on grass. According to The Economist, when adjusted for the difficulty of the draw, Nadal would have won the most men 's grand slam titles and marginally more than a second - placed Federer. Both players have won the Career Grand Slam ( winning all four majors at least once ). Tournament Federer Nadal Australian Open 5 French Open 10 Wimbledon Championships 8 US Open 5 Total count 19 16 Comparison of Masters 1000 titles Rafael Nadal holds a record 30 Masters 1000 titles ( tied with Novak Djokovic ), with 22 of his titles on clay and 8 on hard courts. Roger Federer has 27, with 21 coming on hard courts and 6 on clay. Nadal is missing three Masters 1000 titles, all of which are played on hard court, ( Miami, Shanghai, and Paris ) and Federer is missing two, both of which are played on clay ( Monte Carlo and Rome ). Nadal prevented Federer from winning Monte Carlo three times from 2006 to 2008. He also beat Federer twice in the Rome finals, in 2006 and 2013. The 2006 Rome final, which was won by Nadal in a fifth - set tiebreak, lasted for over five hours and is considered by some to be one of the greatest and most memorable matches ever contested on clay. In 2005, Federer prevented Nadal from winning Miami in a five - set final. Nadal won the first and second sets, was up a break in the third set, and was two points away from victory before Federer came back from two - sets - down to win. Nadal made it back to the Miami final in 2008, 2011, and 2014 but lost each time. In 2017, Federer again beat Nadal in the Miami final. He also prevented Nadal from winning in Shanghai, defeating the Spaniard in the final. Tournament Federer Nadal Indian Wells Masters 5 Miami Open 0 Monte - Carlo Masters 0 10 Madrid Open / German Open 6 5 Italian Open 0 7 Canadian Open Cincinnati Masters 7 Shanghai Masters / Madrid Open Paris Masters 0 Total Count 27 30 Comparison of year - end Championships As of 2016, Roger Federer holds the record for Year - End Championship titles with six. While Nadal has not won a Year - End Championship, he has made the finals twice, in 2010 and 2013. Federer defeated Nadal in the 2010 finals and leads their head - to - head for the event 4 -- 1. Tournament Federer Nadal Tennis Masters Cup 0 ATP World Tour Finals 0 Total Count 6 0 Head - to - head tallies The following is a breakdown of their head - to - head results : All matches : Nadal, 23 -- 15 Clay courts : Nadal, 13 -- 2 Grass courts : Federer, 2 -- 1 Hard courts : Federer, 11 -- 9 Outdoor : Nadal, 8 -- 6 * Indoor : Federer, 5 -- 1 * The Shanghai Masters 2017 final between Federer and Nadal was played with the roof closed due to rain, but the ATP officially counts it as an outdoor match. All finals : Nadal, 14 -- 10 Clay courts : Nadal, 11 -- 2 Hard courts : Federer, 6 -- 2 Outdoor : Federer, 4 -- 2 Indoor : Federer, 2 -- 0 Grass courts : Federer, 2 -- 1 Grand Slam matches : Nadal, 9 -- 3 Australian Open : Nadal, 3 -- 1 French Open : Nadal, 5 -- 0 Wimbledon : Federer, 2 -- 1 Grand Slam finals : Nadal, 6 -- 3 Australian Open : Tied, 1 -- 1 French Open : Nadal, 4 -- 0 Wimbledon : Federer, 2 -- 1 Tennis Masters Cup / ATP World Tour Finals matches : Federer, 4 -- 1 Tennis Masters Cup / ATP World Tour Finals finals : Federer, 1 -- 0 ATP Masters Series / ATP World Tour Masters 1000 matches : Nadal, 12 -- 7 ATP Masters Series / ATP World Tour Masters 1000 finals : Nadal, 7 -- 5 Clay courts : Nadal, 7 -- 2 Hard courts : Federer, 3 -- 0 Best of five set matches : Nadal, 11 -- 4 Five - set matches : Tied, 3 -- 3 Best of three set matches : Nadal, 12 -- 11 Set tallies Federer Set score Nadal 0 9 -- 7 10 7 -- 6 11 7 -- 5 7 10 6 -- 4 15 13 6 -- 3 19 5 6 -- 2 8 5 6 -- 1 5 6 -- 0 50 Total sets 67 560 Total games 597 3596 Total points 3670 Hard Court ( o ) Clay Grass Hard Court ( i ) Total Nadal Federer Nadal Federer Nadal Federer Nadal Federer Nadal Federer Australian Open Roland Garros 5 0 5 0 Wimbledon Indian Wells Miami Monte Carlo 0 0 Rome 0 0 Hamburg / Madrid Cincinnati 0 0 Shanghai 0 0 Dubai 0 0 Basel 0 0 Tennis Masters Cup / ATP World Tour Finals Total 8 6 13 5 23 15 Tournament 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Australian Open French Open Wimbledon US Open Notes In bold : Matches that happened in the finals. Hard Nadal and Federer have played 20 of their 38 matches on hard courts, with the head - to - head on this surface at 11 -- 9 in Federer 's favour. An important distinction is the relative success of the two players on indoor and outdoor hard courts. In the former, Federer leads Nadal with a 5 -- 1 record, while on outdoor hard courts, Nadal leads 8 -- 6. The quicker conditions and low bounce of the indoor hard courts fit Federer 's style, while the slower and high bouncing conditions of most outdoor ones favor Nadal. Federer has defeated Nadal in four out of five encounters they have had at the Year End Championships, including the 2010 final, which are played on indoor hardcourts. This is the only surface on which they have exchanged the lead in their head - to - head, which has happened several times. Despite Nadal 's success on hard courts, some analysts have criticized his lack of consistency in reaching hard court tournament finals ( especially US Open finals ) for potentially skewing the overall head - to - head results. In reference to their match at the 2012 Australian Open, Nadal has said that Federer is typically the `` favourite '' on `` these kinds of surfaces ''. Clay Nadal and Federer have played 15 of their 38 matches on clay with Nadal holding a 13 -- 2 advantage over Federer. From 2005 to 2008, Nadal won every French Open, defeating Federer in each of those tournaments ( in the 2005 semifinal and the 2006, 2007, 2008 finals ), as well as in the 2011 final, and won at least 2 of the 3 clay Masters events each year from 2005 -- 2010, defeating Federer in 6 of those. Statistically, Nadal has the highest win percentage on clay of any player in ATP history, and is third best all - time. As a result, some analysts and players, such as Pat Cash and Conchita Martínez, consider Nadal the greatest clay - court player ever. Nadal has won all of their seven meetings in best of five set matches on clay. Grass Federer and Nadal have met three times on grass, with Federer ahead by 2 -- 1. Federer has won the Wimbledon Championships eight times, and Nadal has won the championships twice. Five of Federer 's titles were consecutive titles ( from 2003 to 2007 ), and the sixth, seventh and eighth titles were won in 2009, 2012 and 2017. Federer and Nadal met in three consecutive Wimbledon finals from 2006 to 2008 ; Federer won the first two finals, while Nadal won the last one. The 2008 Wimbledon final ( won by Nadal ) has been lauded as the greatest match ever by many long - time tennis analysts. Skill comparisons Federer is considered by many to be the greatest tennis player of all time while Nadal 's performance on clay has prompted many experts to regard him as the greatest clay court player and one of the best tennis players of all time. Federer has been more successful than Nadal on fast courts because he hits a flatter forehand and has a faster serve. Grass and indoor hard courts are faster surfaces, so Federer 's flatter shots there result in a lower bouncing, faster moving trajectory. Thus, Nadal 's topspin is less effective on such faster courts, but is most effective on slower courts such as clay. Nadal has improved his serving speed and placement over the years, but Federer still serves faster on average and earns more aces and service winners, while Nadal has an overall stronger ground stroke game. While Nadal is statistically weaker than Federer on both hard and grass courts, Nadal has nonetheless achieved considerable success on both surfaces, including notable wins at the 2008 Summer Olympics, Wimbledon ( 2008 and 2010 ), the Australian Open ( 2009 ), the US Open ( 2010, 2013 and 2017 ), and at various hard court Masters series tournaments. Similarly, Federer too has achieved considerable success on clay, winning the French Open ( 2009 ) and reaching finals four times ( 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011 ) before losing to Nadal, winning the Madrid / Hamburg open six times ( 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2012 ), and winning other titles. Media and player commentary During interviews, many fellow and former players have regarded both Federer and Nadal as among the best tennis players of all time. In November 2010, former player Björn Borg stated that he believed Federer to be the greatest player of all time, but `` Rafa has the chance to be the greatest player '' if he stays healthy. Former player and commentator John McEnroe was of a similar opinion, noting in 2010 that `` there is an argument to be made that Rafael Nadal may be the greatest player eventually, even possibly now. '' He has subsequently adjusted his opinion on several occasions, in 2013 noting that he thought Nadal was `` the greatest player that ever lived '' but later in 2014 bunched Federer, Nadal, Laver and Sampras together as the greatest ever. In July 2015, he reversed his opinion and again backed Roger Federer for the title. In January 2017, after Federer, then 35 years of age and returning to competitive play after a 6 - month layoff due to injury, triumphed over Nadal in 5 sets to win the record - breaking 18th major at the 2017 Australian Open, McEnroe remarked that Federer had cemented his status as being the best tennis player of all time, but also left open the possibility that Nadal can be in the running again should he win additional men 's singles majors to narrow the gap. In October 2013, Rod Laver, the only tennis player to achieve the grand slam twice, said `` When I look at Federer, with what he 's accomplished, against the competition that he 's accomplished it with, I 'd have to say I would think that Roger is the greatest player, ' ' At the press conference following his 9th record French Open win in 2014 and a total of 14 Slams, three shy of Federer 's 17, Nadal said that he really does not care much about records, `` I 'll follow my own path. Then, when my career is over, then we 'll count. '' In May 2014, eight - time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi told Singapore 's Straits Times newspaper, via aljazeera.com : `` I 'd put Nadal number one and Federer number two. Federer separated himself from the field for four years. He separated himself from Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt. Nadal had to deal with Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray in the golden age of tennis. '' In November 2014, former world number 1 player Andy Roddick, in noting his support for Federer, explained why he believes that head - to - head results are not a valid factor in determining the greatest of all time, `` For me Roger Federer is still ahead in the greatest - ever debate, with Rafael Nadal second. People talk about their head - to - head being the determining factor, but I ca n't comprehend a single match - up being the deciding factor. It 's about total wins at major tournaments, not an individual match - up, in my mind. '' In December 2014, Rafael Nadal 's uncle and coach, Toni Nadal, indicated to Spanish radio station Cadena COPE that he believed Federer to be the greatest of all time based on overall statistics and achievements, noting `` I think he is ( the best of all - time ), the numbers say so. '' A day before the 2017 Australian Open men 's singles finals, Toni Nadal further reemphasized his regard on Federer, saying that `` When ( Federer ) will call it a career, the greatest player in the tennis history wo n't be there anymore. Looking at titles, he is the greatest at the moment. '' In March 2015, former player Pete Sampras made similar arguments about Federer, `` You look at the numbers of what he 's been able to do, you have to say he 's the greatest we 've seen '' These comments were echoed by Boris Becker in July 2015, `` Great respect for Roger Federer ! He is our greatest of all time '' Relationship and competitive dynamic Both Federer and Nadal 's personal and professional relationship is good - natured and gracious. Though they are both highly competitive, they maintain a healthy regard for each other and have had virtually no source of personal animosity. The two have made slight criticisms of one another in the past, nevertheless. For example, Federer complained of Nadal 's slow, deliberate style of play on the eve of the 2008 Wimbledon final. Nadal criticized Federer before the 2012 Australian Open for his failure to be more vocal about players ' grievances on issues such as scheduling and prize money. He subsequently apologized for making his views public, however, and both players maintained that they still enjoyed a good relationship and had high respect for each other, which can often be seen in interviews. Nadal was also once seen watching Federer play a match in his box, and their family members would congratulate each other on match wins. Despite their cordial relationship, both men have a somewhat different attitude towards their rivalry. When Federer was securely atop the tennis world he was ambivalent towards the notion of a rivalry with an opponent five years younger than himself. But after their memorable 2008 Wimbledon final he had no choice but to acknowledge its significance, even admitting `` it definitely becomes more and more special the more times we play against each other. '' A few weeks later, after Nadal had officially surpassed him in the rankings, Federer offered this compliment : `` Look at what he had to achieve to get it. That 's what I like to see. '' Nadal has always cherished the rivalry because he looks up to Federer as both a role model and a measuring stick for success. When interest in their rivalry increased, both Federer and Nadal collaborated to arrange occasional charity exhibition matches to benefit their charities ' philanthropic interests. The most recent was the Match for Africa, played on 21 December 2010 in Zurich, Switzerland, which Federer won, and a follow - up match played in Madrid on the following day, titled `` Joining Forces for the Benefit of Children '', which Nadal won. Cultural impact The rivalry has also increased overall interest in tennis. The highly anticipated 2008 Wimbledon final drew strong television ratings for tennis in both the U.S. and across Europe. The match was also featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, which was the first time in years that tennis had made its cover. Pairing Federer and Nadal Significant achievements From the 2003 Wimbledon Championships to the 2011 French Open, Federer and Nadal have won an unprecedented 26 out of 32 Major titles. In this time, both men have also completed the Career Grand Slam ( Nadal has also completed the Career Golden Slam by winning the 2008 Beijing Olympics ). From Nadal 's first Grand Slam tournament victory at the 2005 French Open until the 2011 French Open, Federer and Nadal had won 22 of 25 Major titles ( 12 for Federer, 10 for Nadal ). The exceptions were the 2008 and 2011 Australian Open, won by Novak Djokovic, and the 2009 US Open, won by Juan Martín del Potro. Federer and Nadal are the only No. 1 and No. 2 pair in the open era to contest the French Open and Wimbledon men 's finals back to back in a calendar year. They are also the only pair in the history of tennis to contest both of these finals back to back for three consecutive years ( 2006 -- 08 ). In the history of tennis, Federer and Nadal are the only pair to face each other in nine Grand Slam singles finals ( 2006 -- 08, 2011 French Open, 2006 -- 08 Wimbledon, 2009, 2017 Australian Open ). This broke the previous record of seven finals set by Bill Tilden and William Johnston ( 1919 -- 25 U.S. Championships ). Their match at the 2012 Australian Open also marked a 10th time two players had faced each other in Grand Slam men 's singles matches, tying the record set by John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl. This record has now been surpassed by Federer - Djokovic when they met for the 13th time in a Major at the 2012 Wimbledon semifinals. Federer and Nadal are the only No. 1 and No. 2 pair to win 11 consecutive Grand Slam singles tournaments between them ( from the 2005 French Open to the 2007 US Open ). In this period, Federer won 3 consecutive titles at both Wimbledon and the US Open and 2 consecutive titles at the Australian Open, while Nadal won 3 consecutive French Open titles. During the Open Era, only two pairs of players have played each other in the final of the same Grand Slam singles tournament three consecutive years : Becker -- Edberg ( 1988 -- 90 Wimbledon ) and Federer - Nadal ( 2006 -- 08 French Open and 2006 -- 08 Wimbledon ). Federer and Nadal are the only pair to win at least four consecutive finals at three different Majors during the same period ( 2005 -- 08 and 2010 -- 14 French Open for Nadal, 2003 -- 07 Wimbledon and 2004 -- 08 US Open for Federer ). From the 2004 Wimbledon Championships to the 2011 French Open, at least one of them appeared in 25 of 28 Major finals, winning all of them except the 2005 Australian Open, the 2008 Australian Open, the 2011 Australian Open, and the 2009 US Open. Federer and Nadal have combined to win 8 consecutive Wimbledon ( 2003 -- 10 ) and 10 consecutive French Open ( 2005 -- 14 ). Federer and Nadal won the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open triple for 4 consecutive years ( 2005 -- 08 ). One of only two pairs to have faced each other in a Major, having both already completed the career Grand Slam. They did this four times. The other pair Roy Emerson and Rod Laver met on two occasions after both completing the career Grand Slam. Federer and Nadal have played four five - set Grand Slam finals ( Wimbledon 2007 and 2008, Australian Open 2009 and 2017 ). This is the largest number of five - set Grand Slam finals contested by any pair of players in the Open Era. List of all head - to - head matches ATP, Davis Cup, and Grand Slam main draw results included. Legend ( 2004 -- 2008 ) Legend ( 2009 -- present ) Federer Nadal Grand Slam Grand Slam 9 Tennis Masters Cup ATP World Tour Finals ATP Masters Series ATP World Tour Masters 1000 7 12 ATP International Series Gold ATP World Tour 500 Series Total 15 23 Singles Federer -- Nadal ( 15 -- 23 ) No. Year Tournament Series Surface Round Winner Score Length ( H : MM ) Sets Federer Nadal 1. Miami Masters Hard Round of 32 Nadal 6 -- 3, 6 -- 3 1 : 10 2 / 3 0 2. 2005 Miami Masters Hard Final Federer 2 -- 6, 6 -- 7, 7 -- 6, 6 -- 3, 6 -- 1 3 : 43 5 / 5 3. 2005 Roland Garros Major Clay Semifinals Nadal 6 -- 3, 4 -- 6, 6 -- 4, 6 -- 3 2 : 47 4 / 5 4. 2006 Dubai 500 Hard Final Nadal 2 -- 6, 6 -- 4, 6 -- 4 1 : 53 3 / 3 5. 2006 Monte Carlo Masters Clay Final Nadal 6 -- 2, 6 -- 7, 6 -- 3, 7 -- 6 3 : 50 4 / 5 6. 2006 Rome Masters Clay Final Nadal 6 -- 7, 7 -- 6, 6 -- 4, 2 -- 6, 7 -- 6 5 : 05 5 / 5 5 7. 2006 Roland Garros Major Clay Final Nadal 1 -- 6, 6 -- 1, 6 -- 4, 7 -- 6 3 : 02 4 / 5 6 8. 2006 Wimbledon Major Grass Final Federer 6 -- 0, 7 -- 6, 6 -- 7, 6 -- 3 2 : 58 4 / 5 6 9. 2006 Tennis Masters Cup Tour Finals Hard ( i ) Semifinals Federer 6 -- 4, 7 -- 5 1 : 53 2 / 3 6 10. 2007 Monte Carlo Masters Clay Final Nadal 6 -- 4, 6 -- 4 1 : 35 2 / 3 7 11. 2007 Hamburg Masters Clay Final Federer 2 -- 6, 6 -- 2, 6 -- 0 1 : 55 3 / 3 7 12. 2007 Roland Garros Major Clay Final Nadal 6 -- 3, 4 -- 6, 6 -- 3, 6 -- 4 3 : 10 4 / 5 8 13. 2007 Wimbledon Major Grass Final Federer 7 -- 6, 4 -- 6, 7 -- 6, 2 -- 6, 6 -- 2 3 : 45 5 / 5 5 8 14. 2007 Tennis Masters Cup Tour Finals Hard ( i ) Semifinals Federer 6 -- 4, 6 -- 1 0 : 59 2 / 3 6 8 15. 2008 Monte Carlo Masters Clay Final Nadal 7 -- 5, 7 -- 5 1 : 43 2 / 3 6 9 16. 2008 Hamburg Masters Clay Final Nadal 7 -- 5, 6 -- 7, 6 -- 3 2 : 52 3 / 3 6 10 17. 2008 Roland Garros Major Clay Final Nadal 6 -- 1, 6 -- 3, 6 -- 0 1 : 48 3 / 5 6 11 18. 2008 Wimbledon Major Grass Final Nadal 6 -- 4, 6 -- 4, 6 -- 7, 6 -- 7, 9 -- 7 4 : 48 5 / 5 6 12 19. 2009 Australian Open Major Hard Final Nadal 7 -- 5, 3 -- 6, 7 -- 6, 3 -- 6, 6 -- 2 4 : 23 5 / 5 6 13 20. 2009 Madrid Masters Clay Final Federer 6 -- 4, 6 -- 4 1 : 26 2 / 3 7 13 21. Madrid Masters Clay Final Nadal 6 -- 4, 7 -- 6 2 : 10 2 / 3 7 14 22. ATP World Tour Finals Tour Finals Hard ( i ) Final Federer 6 -- 3, 3 -- 6, 6 -- 1 1 : 37 3 / 3 8 14 23. 2011 Miami Masters Hard Semifinals Nadal 6 -- 3, 6 -- 2 1 : 18 2 / 3 8 15 24. 2011 Madrid Masters Clay Semifinals Nadal 5 -- 7, 6 -- 1, 6 -- 3 2 : 36 3 / 3 8 16 25. 2011 Roland Garros Major Clay Final Nadal 7 -- 5, 7 -- 6, 5 -- 7, 6 -- 1 3 : 40 4 / 5 8 17 26. 2011 ATP World Tour Finals Tour Finals Hard ( i ) Round Robin Federer 6 -- 3, 6 -- 0 1 : 00 2 / 3 9 17 27. 2012 Australian Open Major Hard Semifinals Nadal 6 -- 7, 6 -- 2, 7 -- 6, 6 -- 4 3 : 42 4 / 5 9 18 28. 2012 Indian Wells Masters Hard Semifinals Federer 6 -- 3, 6 -- 4 1 : 31 2 / 3 10 18 29. 2013 Indian Wells Masters Hard Quarterfinals Nadal 6 -- 4, 6 -- 2 1 : 24 2 / 3 10 19 30. 2013 Rome Masters Clay Final Nadal 6 -- 1, 6 -- 3 1 : 08 2 / 3 10 20 31. 2013 Cincinnati Masters Hard Quarterfinals Nadal 5 -- 7, 6 -- 4, 6 -- 3 2 : 14 3 / 3 10 21 32. 2013 ATP World Tour Finals Tour Finals Hard ( i ) Semifinals Nadal 7 -- 5, 6 -- 3 1 : 19 2 / 3 10 22 33. 2014 Australian Open Major Hard Semifinals Nadal 7 -- 6, 6 -- 3, 6 -- 3 2 : 24 3 / 5 10 23 34. 2015 Basel 500 Hard ( i ) Final Federer 6 -- 3, 5 -- 7, 6 -- 3 2 : 03 3 / 3 11 23 35. 2017 Australian Open Major Hard Final Federer 6 -- 4, 3 -- 6, 6 -- 1, 3 -- 6, 6 -- 3 3 : 37 5 / 5 12 23 36. 2017 Indian Wells Masters Hard Round of 16 Federer 6 -- 2, 6 -- 3 1 : 08 2 / 3 13 23 37. 2017 Miami Masters Hard Final Federer 6 -- 3, 6 -- 4 1 : 34 2 / 3 14 23 38. 2017 Shanghai Masters Hard Final Federer 6 -- 4, 6 -- 3 1 : 12 2 / 3 15 23 Doubles Federer -- Nadal ( 1 -- 2 ) No. Year Tournament Surface Round Winner Score Opponents Federer Nadal 1. Indian Wells Hard Round of 32 Nadal / Robredo 5 -- 7, 6 -- 4, 6 -- 3 Federer / Allegro 0 2. 2007 Rome Clay Round of 32 Nadal / Moyá 6 -- 4, 7 -- 6 Federer / Wawrinka 0 3. 2011 Indian Wells Hard Semifinals Federer / Wawrinka 7 -- 5, 6 -- 3 Nadal / M. López As a pair ( 1 -- 0 ) No. Year Tournament Surface Round Winner Score Opponents Wins Losses 1. 2017 Laver Cup ( Prague ) Hard ( i ) Day 2 Federer / Nadal 6 -- 4, 1 -- 6, ( 10 -- 5 ) Querrey / Sock 0 Exhibitions Federer -- Nadal ( 2 -- 7 ) On 21 November 2006 they played an exhibition match on a hard court in Seoul, South Korea. Federer won 6 -- 3, 3 -- 6, 6 -- 3. On 2 May 2007 they played in the `` Battle of Surfaces '' on a hybrid court that was half clay and half grass. This match was held at the Palma Arena in Palma, the capital city of Nadal 's native Mallorca. Nadal won 7 -- 5, 4 -- 6, 7 -- 6. On 21 December 2010 they played in Zürich, Switzerland on a hard court a charity tennis match for the Roger Federer Foundation. Federer won 4 -- 6, 6 -- 3, 6 -- 3. They played another exhibition match on 22 December 2010 in Madrid, Spain. Nadal won 7 -- 6, 4 -- 6, 6 -- 1. This was a charity tennis match for the Fundación Rafa Nadal ( Rafael Nadal Foundation ). On 1 January 2011 they played in the final of the knockout exhibition tournament ; the Mubadala World Tennis Championship on a hard court. Federer had beaten Söderling in the previous round and Nadal had beaten Berdych in the previous round. Nadal won the encounter by a score of 7 -- 6, 7 -- 6. On 8 March 2011 the two played a set at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Nadal won the charity exhibition 7 -- 5. On 31 December 2011 they played again at Mubadala 2011 Mubadala World Tennis Championship ( December ) on a hard court, this time for third place. Nadal won again 6 -- 1, 7 -- 5. On 12 December 2015 they played two matches in New Delhi, India at 2015 International Premier Tennis League season on a hard court. Nadal won both a set of singles against Federer 6 -- 5 and, paired with Rohan Bopanna, a doubles set against Roger Federer and Marin Cilic 6 -- 4 to lead the Indian Aces to a 30 -- 19 victory over the UAE Royals. Records Only two players in men 's Open Era history to have met 9 times in Grand Slam finals Only two players in men 's Open Era history to win at least 16 Grand Slam titles each Only two players in men 's Open Era history to reach at least 23 Grand Slam finals each Only two players in men 's Open Era history to win at least 8 titles at a Grand Slam tournament ( Federer at Wimbledon -- 8, Nadal at French Open -- 10 ). Only two players in men 's Open Era history to each win a grand slam without losing a set in the same calendar year. Only two players in men 's Open Era history to win at least one tournament 9 times ( Federer : Halle Open -- 9 titles, Nadal : Monte Carlo, French Open, and Barcelona -- 10 titles ) Only two players in men 's Open Era history to win at least 70 outdoor tennis tournaments titles -- Nadal 73 titles, Federer 72 titles Only two players in men 's Open Era history to win at least 65 matches at Roland Garros each Only two players in men 's Open Era history for 7 consecutive seasons ( from 2004 to 2010 ) ranked as # 1 player in the world Only two players in men 's Open Era history to win all 4 major titles combined in one season four times ( 2006 -- 2007, 2010, 2017 ) Only two players in men 's Open Era history to win two grand slams each in a single calendar year ( In 2017, Federer won Australian Open and Wimbledon, Nadal won French Open and US Open ). Only two players in men 's Open Era history to play four 5 - setter Grand Slam finals ( Wimbledon 2007 & 2008, and Australian Opens 2009 & 2017 ). Each won 1 Wimbledon & 1 Australian Open final against each other Nadal won the most clay tournaments in men 's Open Era history on clay with 53 titles, while Federer won the most tournaments on grass ( 17 ) and on hard ( 63 ) Nadal has the highest record on clay in men 's Open Era history with 91.75 % ( 389 -- 35 ), while Federer has the best record on grass 87.23 % ( 164 -- 24 ) Nadal has the longest streak on clay in men 's Open Era history with 81 consecutive matches won from 2005 to 2007, while Federer won the most consecutive matches on grass, 65, from 2003 to 2008 and on hard, 56, from 2005 to 2006. Each player broke the other player 's streaks. Only two players in men 's Open Era history to reach at least 11 finals at a single tournament -- Nadal reached 11 finals in Monte - Carlo ( 2005 -- 2013, 2016 -- 2017 ), while Federer reached 13 finals in Basel ( 2000 -- 2001, 2006 -- 15, 2017 ) and 11 at Wimbledon and Halle. Two tennis players with highest number of matches won in Masters 1000 tournaments -- Federer is 1st with 350 victories, Nadal is 2nd with 343. One of two pairs to have played in 12 finals in Masters 1000 tournaments ( along with Djokovic -- Nadal ). Federer has spent a record 237 consecutive weeks as a # 1 player in the world, while Nadal holds the record of most consecutive weeks as a # 2 player in the world with 160 weeks Only two players in tennis history to have met in both Roland Garros & Wimbledon finals in the same season for 3 consecutive years ( from 2006 to 2008 ) They won a record consecutive 10 Roland Garros finals combined ( from 2005 to 2014 ) and a record 8 consecutive Wimbledon finals ( from 2003 to 2010 ) For 6 consecutive seasons ( from 2005 to 2010 ) one of them ended calendar season as a # 1 player in the world, while the other was the # 2 player in the world Second pair in tennis history ( after Djokovic - Nadal ) to win the two first major tournaments of the season 5 times ( 2006 -- 2007, 2009 -- 2010, 2017 ). Only pair in men 's open Era to have at least one player to be present in Hamburg Masters Series / Madrid Masters 1000 final for 9 consecutive years ( 2007 -- 2015 ). Tied for highest number of ATP 500 tournaments won -- 19 titles each. Tied for highest number of ATP 500 tournaments finals reached -- 25 finals each. Miscellaneous Their 2008 Wimbledon men 's singles final match is widely regarded as the greatest match in tennis history. From 2004 to 2007, Federer won 320 of the 344 matches he played ( 320 -- 24 record, 93, 02 % matches won ). Nadal was the only player to have a positive record against Federer ( with more than 2 matches played ) in that time span ( 8 -- 6 ). In his 2006 season, Federer won 92 of 97 matches he played ( 92 -- 5 record, 94, 85 % matches won ). Nadal was the only player to hold a positive record against him ( with more than 2 matches played ), winning 4 matches and losing 2. Federer 's only other loss of the year came from Andy Murray at the Cincinnati Masters. As of October 15, 2017, Federer and Nadal are respectively the two active players with the highest number of titles ( 94 and 75 ), finals ( 143 and 111 ), and matches won ( 1124 and 871 ) on the ATP tour. Performance timeline comparison Main article : Tennis performance timeline comparison ( men ) Grand Slam tournaments Key SF QF # R RR Q # Z # PO F-S SF - B NMS NH ( W ) Won ; ( F ) finalist ; ( SF ) semifinalist ; ( QF ) quarterfinalist ; ( # R ) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1 ; ( RR ) round - robin stage ; ( Q # ) qualification round ; ( A ) absent ; ( Z # ) Davis / Fed Cup Zonal Group ( with number indication ) or ( PO ) play - off ; ( G ) gold, ( F-S ) silver or ( SF - B ) bronze Olympic medal ; a ( NMS ) downgraded Masters Series / 1000 tournament ; ( NH ) not held. To avoid confusion and double counting, these charts are updated either at the conclusion of a tournament, or when the player 's participation in the tournament has ended. Bold = players met during this tournament 1999 -- 2004 Player 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA Roger Federer Q1 1R 1R Q2 3R 4R 1R 3R 3R QF QF 4R 4R 1R 1R 4R 4R 1R 4R 3R Rafael Nadal 3R 2R 3R 3R 2005 -- 2010 Player 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA Roger Federer SF SF SF QF QF SF Rafael Nadal 4R 2R 3R QF QF 4R SF SF 4R SF QF 2011 -- 2016 Player 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA Roger Federer SF QF SF SF SF QF SF QF 2R 4R SF 4R SF 3R QF SF SF Rafael Nadal QF 2R 1R 4R QF QF 2R 3R 1R 3R 4R 2017 -- present Player 2017 AUS FRA WIM USA Roger Federer QF Rafael Nadal 4R By age ( end of season ) 18 -- 22 Player 18 19 20 21 22 AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA Roger Federer Q1 1R 1R Q2 3R 4R 1R 3R 3R QF QF 4R 4R 1R 1R 4R 4R 1R 4R Rafael Nadal 3R 2R 4R 2R 3R QF QF 4R SF SF 23 -- 27 Player 23 24 25 26 27 AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA Roger Federer 3R SF SF SF Rafael Nadal 4R SF QF QF 2R 1R 28 -- 32 Player 28 29 30 31 32 AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA Roger Federer QF QF SF SF QF SF SF SF QF SF QF 2R 4R Rafael Nadal 4R QF QF 2R 3R 1R 3R 4R 4R 33 -- 37 Player 33 34 35 36 37 AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA AUS FRA WIM USA Roger Federer SF 4R SF 3R QF SF SF QF Rafael Nadal ATP Rankings Year - End ranking timeline Player 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Roger Federer 301 64 29 13 6 6 16 Rafael Nadal 811 200 49 51 5 9 ATP Year - End ranking timeline by age Year End Ranking 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Roger Federer 301 64 29 13 6 6 16 Rafael Nadal 811 200 49 51 5 9 Career evolution Federer and Nadal were born just under four years and 10 months apart. Federer 's birthday is 8 August 1981, while Nadal 's is 3 June 1986. A different viewpoint of their career evolution is offered by taking the season they ended with an age of 18 as starting point, and comparing their accomplishments at the same age. For instance in 2007, Federer finished the season being 26 years old having accumulated a career record of twelve Major titles, and ranked No. 1. By comparison, Nadal finished the 2012 season also aged 26, having accumulated eleven Major titles in total, and being ranked No. 4. ( ) = active record ( updated Monday 11 December 2017 ) Age at end of season 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Federer 's season 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Nadal 's season 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Grand Slam titles Federer 0 0 0 0 6 9 12 13 15 16 16 17 17 17 17 17 19 ( 19 ) Nadal 0 5 6 9 10 11 13 14 14 14 16 ( 16 ) Grand Slam match wins Federer 0 7 20 26 39 61 85 112 138 162 188 208 228 247 260 279 297 307 325 ( 325 ) Nadal 6 19 36 56 80 95 120 143 157 171 187 198 203 226 ( 226 ) Year - End Championships Federer 0 0 0 0 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 ( 6 ) Nadal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ( 0 ) Masters 1000 titles Federer 0 0 0 8 12 14 14 16 17 18 21 21 23 24 24 27 ( 27 ) Nadal 0 6 9 12 15 18 19 21 26 27 27 28 30 ( 30 ) Total titles Federer 0 0 11 22 33 45 53 57 61 66 70 76 77 82 88 88 95 ( 95 ) Nadal 12 17 23 31 36 43 46 50 60 64 67 69 75 ( 75 ) Total match wins Federer 15 51 100 158 236 310 391 483 551 617 678 743 807 878 923 996 1059 1080 1132 ( 1132 ) Nadal 45 124 183 253 335 401 472 541 583 658 706 767 806 873 ( 873 ) Ranking Federer 64 29 13 6 6 16 ( 2 ) Nadal 51 5 9 ( 1 ) Weeks at number 1 Federer 0 0 0 0 0 48 100 152 204 237 262 285 285 302 302 302 302 302 302 ( 302 ) Nadal 0 0 0 0 19 46 76 102 102 115 141 141 141 ( 158 ) Titles by tournaments played comparison Another way to view their respective careers and evolution is to look at the progression of titles won by the number of tournaments played to win each of their titles at each level of competition including Grand Slams, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 ( formerly ATP Masters Series ), ATP World Tour Finals ( formerly Tennis Masters Cup ), Olympic Games, ATP World Tour 500 Series ( formerly ATP International Series Gold ), and ATP World Tour 250 Series ( formerly ATP International Series ). For example, Federer won his 14th Grand Slam title at his 40th Grand Slam Tournament, while Nadal won his 14th at his 38th Grand Slam Tournament. Singles title # 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Federer won at Grand Slam # 17 19 21 22 25 26 27 29 30 31 33 34 38 40 41 43 53 69 70 Nadal 6 9 13 17 18 20 24 25 26 28 32 34 36 38 48 50 Federer won at ATP Masters 1000 # 22 35 38 39 41 42 44 45 46 47 50 52 57 59 75 77 84 94 95 97 99 112 113 119 124 125 127 Nadal 10 11 12 14 17 18 22 24 25 33 35 36 40 42 43 51 52 53 59 67 69 70 72 73 74 75 81 95 102 103 Federer won at ATP Tour Finals # 5 6 9 10 Nadal Federer won at Olympic Games # Nadal Federer won at ATP 500 event # 12 14 15 17 18 19 21 22 25 27 28 29 35 36 37 38 39 42 43 Nadal 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 15 17 19 20 22 23 24 26 33 37 40 41 Federer won at ATP 250 event # 23 30 40 41 42 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 62 63 66 69 70 71 Nadal 11 18 21 22 30 40 41 44 45 Federer -- Nadal Grand Slam era ( 2003 -- Present ) Year Australian Open French Open Wimbledon US Open 2003 Andre Agassi Juan Carlos Ferrero Roger Federer Andy Roddick Roger Federer Gastón Gaudio Roger Federer Roger Federer 2005 Marat Safin Rafael Nadal Roger Federer Roger Federer 2006 Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Roger Federer Roger Federer 2007 Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Roger Federer Roger Federer 2008 Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal Rafael Nadal Roger Federer 2009 Rafael Nadal Roger Federer Roger Federer Juan Martín del Potro Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Rafael Nadal Rafael Nadal 2011 Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic 2012 Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal Roger Federer Andy Murray 2013 Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal Andy Murray Rafael Nadal 2014 Stan Wawrinka Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Marin Čilić 2015 Novak Djokovic Stan Wawrinka Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic 2016 Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic Andy Murray Stan Wawrinka 2017 Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Combined singles performance timeline ( best result ) Tournament 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 SR Grand Slam tournaments Australian Open Q1 3R 3R 4R 4R SF SF SF SF QF SF 6 / 18 French Open 1R 4R QF 1R 1R 3R QF 3R 11 / 19 Wimbledon 1R 1R QF 1R 2R SF 10 / 19 US Open Q2 3R 4R 4R 4R QF SF 4R 8 / 18 Tournament 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 SR ATP World Tour Masters 1000 and ATP World Tour Finals Indian Wells Q1 1R 3R 2R SF SF SF 8 / 17 Miami 1R 2R QF QF 4R QF SF SF SF 3R 2R 3 / 18 Monte Carlo 1R 1R QF 2R 3R SF 10 / 18 Madrid 1R 1R 3R SF 11 / 17 Rome 1R 3R 1R 2R QF QF QF 7 / 18 Canada 1R 1R SF QF 3R QF 5 / 15 Cincinnati 1R 1R 2R 1R QF SF QF 3R QF 8 / 17 Shanghai 2R 2R QF SF 2R SF 3R SF SF SF 2R 4 / 18 Paris 1R 2R QF QF QF SF SF SF QF QF QF 1 / 13 ATP Finals Did Not Qualify SF RR SF SF 6 / 15 Federer -- Nadal ATP world No. 1 era Player Start date End date Weeks Total Federer, Roger Roger Federer 000000002004 - 02 - 02 - 0000 February 2, 2004 000000002008 - 08 - 17 - 0000 August 17, 2008 237 237 Nadal, Rafael Rafael Nadal 000000002008 - 08 - 18 - 0000 August 18, 2008 000000002009 - 07 - 05 - 0000 July 5, 2009 46 46 Roger Federer ( 2 ) 000000002009 - 07 - 06 - 0000 July 6, 2009 000000002010 - 06 - 06 - 0000 June 6, 2010 48 285 Rafael Nadal ( 2 ) 000000002010 - 06 - 07 - 0000 June 7, 2010 000000002011 - 07 - 03 - 0000 July 3, 2011 56 102 Novak Djokovic 000000002011 - 07 - 04 - 0000 July 4, 2011 000000002012 - 07 - 08 - 0000 July 8, 2012 53 53 Roger Federer ( 3 ) 000000002012 - 07 - 09 - 0000 July 9, 2012 000000002012 - 11 - 04 - 0000 November 4, 2012 17 302 Novak Djokovic ( 2 ) 000000002012 - 11 - 05 - 0000 November 5, 2012 000000002013 - 10 - 06 - 0000 October 6, 2013 48 101 Rafael Nadal ( 3 ) 000000002013 - 10 - 07 - 0000 October 7, 2013 000000002014 - 07 - 06 - 0000 July 6, 2014 39 141 Novak Djokovic ( 3 ) 000000002014 - 07 - 07 - 0000 July 7, 2014 000000002016 - 11 - 06 - 0000 November 6, 2016 122 223 Andy Murray 000000002016 - 11 - 07 - 0000 November 7, 2016 000000002017 - 08 - 20 - 0000 August 20, 2017 41 41 Rafael Nadal ( 4 ) 000000002017 - 08 - 21 - 0000 August 21, 2017 Present 17 158 See also Big Four List of tennis rivalries Djokovic -- Federer rivalry Djokovic -- Nadal rivalry Murray -- Nadal rivalry Federer -- Murray rivalry Roger Federer career statistics List of career achievements by Roger Federer Rafael Nadal career statistics List of career achievements by Rafael Nadal List of Grand Slam men 's singles champions References Jump up ^ Eccleshare, Charlie ( 2017 ). 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Jump up ^ Richard Alleyne ( July 7, 2008 ). `` Wimbledon 2008 : John McEnroe hails Rafael Nadal victory as greatest final ever ''. Retrieved July 9, 2017. Jump up ^ Dave Martin ( August 30, 2015 ). `` Reliving Wimbledon 2008 Final : The Greatest Match Ever ''. Retrieved July 9, 2017. Jump up ^ See. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Roger Federer. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rafael Nadal. Article on the Federer - Nadal rivalry at the ATP 's official site Head to Head player details at the ATP 's official site Federer / Nadal : The Head - to - Head Anomaly Article on the Statistical Anomaly of the Federer - Nadal Head - to - Head Super Match 2006 Part one of the Seoul match, there are 9 parts which can be found on the side of the video Hidden numbers on the Federer - Nadal H2H Big Four Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray Rivalries Federer -- Nadal Djokovic -- Federer Djokovic -- Nadal Federer -- Murray Djokovic -- Murray Seasons Roger Federer 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Rafael Nadal 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Novak Djokovic 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Andy Murray 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Roger Federer ( Statistics and Achievements ) Australian Open 2006 2007 2009 2017 French Open 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 Wimbledon 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2012 2014 2015 2017 US Open 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2015 Tour Finals 2003 2005 2006 2007 2011 2012 2014 2015 Masters titles Indian Wells ( 5 ) Miami ( 3 ) Madrid / Hamburg ( 6 ) Canada ( 2 ) Cincinnati ( 7 ) Shanghai / Madrid ( 2 ) Paris ( 1 ) Rafael Nadal ( Statistics and Achievements ) Australian Open 2009 2012 2014 2017 French Open 2005 2006 2007 2008 2011 2012 2013 2014 2017 Wimbledon 2006 2007 2008 2011 US Open 2011 2013 2017 Tour Finals 2013 Masters titles Indian Wells ( 3 ) Monte Carlo ( 10 ) Madrid / Hamburg ( 5 ) Rome ( 7 ) Canada ( 3 ) Cincinnati ( 1 ) Shanghai / Madrid ( 1 ) Novak Djokovic ( Statistics and Achievements ) Australian Open 2008 2011 2012 2013 2015 2016 French Open 2012 2014 2015 2016 Wimbledon 2011 2013 2014 2015 US Open 2007 2011 2012 2013 2015 2016 Tour Finals 2008 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Masters titles Indian Wells ( 5 ) Miami ( 6 ) Monte Carlo ( 2 ) Madrid ( 2 ) Rome ( 4 ) Canada ( 4 ) Shanghai ( 3 ) Paris ( 4 ) Andy Murray ( Statistics and Achievements ) Australian Open 2011 2013 2015 2016 French Open 2016 Wimbledon 2012 2013 2016 US Open 2008 2012 Tour Finals 2016 Masters titles Miami ( 2 ) Madrid ( 1 ) Rome ( 1 ) Canada ( 3 ) Cincinnati ( 2 ) Shanghai / Madrid ( 4 ) Paris ( 1 ) Notable matches 2007 Wimbledon final 2008 Wimbledon final 2009 Australian Open final 2012 Australian Open final 2012 French Open final 2012 Wimbledon final 2012 US Open final 2013 Wimbledon final 2014 Wimbledon final 2015 Wimbledon final 2016 French Open final 2017 Australian Open final Roger Federer Team Mirka Federer ( wife ) Severin Lüthi ( coach, 2007 -- current ) Ivan Ljubičić ( coach, 2015 -- current ) Stefan Edberg ( coach, 2014 -- 2015 ) Paul Annacone ( coach, 2010 -- 2013 ) José Higueras ( coach, 2008 ) Tony Roche ( coach, 2005 -- 2007 ) Peter Lundgren ( coach, 2000 -- 2003 ) Career Achievements Statistics Big Four Rivalry with Rafael Nadal Rivalry with Novak Djokovic Rivalry with Andy Roddick Rivalry with Andy Murray Notable matches 2007 Wimbledon final 2008 Wimbledon final 2009 Australian Open final 2009 French Open final 2009 Wimbledon final 2012 Wimbledon final 2014 Wimbledon final 2015 Wimbledon final 2017 Australian Open final Seasons Juniors Early career 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Australian Open 2006 2007 2017 French Open 2009 Wimbledon Juniors : 1998 ( Singles & Doubles ) Seniors : 2003 2005 2006 2007 2009 2012 2017 US Open 2005 2006 2007 2008 World Tour Final 2003 2006 2007 2011 Indian Wells 2005 2006 2012 2017 Miami 2005 2006 2017 Monte Carlo Finals : 2006 2007 2008 2014 Roma Finals : 2003 2006 2013 2015 Hamburg / Madrid 2002 ( H ) 2004 ( H ) 2005 ( H ) 2007 ( H ) 2009 2012 Montreal / Toronto 2004 ( T ) 2006 ( T ) Cincinnati 2005 2007 2009 2012 2014 2015 Madrid / Shanghai 2006 ( M ) 2014 2017 Paris 2011 Olympics 2012 ( Singles ) 2008 ( Doubles ) Davis Cup 2014 Hopman Cup 2001 Official website Rafael Nadal Entourage Miguel Ángel Nadal ( uncle ) Toni Nadal ( uncle and coach ) Carlos Moyá ( coach, 2017 -- current ) Career Achievements Statistics Big Four Rivalry with Roger Federer Rivalry with Novak Djokovic Milestones 46 - match winning streak at the Monte - Carlo Masters Notable matches 2007 Wimbledon final 2008 Wimbledon final 2009 Australian Open final 2012 Australian Open final 2012 French Open final 2017 Australian Open final Exhibition matches Battle of Surfaces Match for Africa and Joining Forces for the Benefit of Children Seasons 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Australian Open 2009 French Open 2005 2006 2007 2008 2011 2012 2013 2014 2017 Wimbledon 2008 US Open 2013 2017 World Tour Finals Finals : 2010 2013 Indian Wells 2007 2009 2013 Miami Finals : 2005 2008 2011 2014 2017 Monte Carlo 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2016 2017 Rome 2005 2006 2007 2009 2012 2013 Hamburg / Madrid 2008 ( H ) 2013 2014 2017 Montreal / Toronto 2005 ( M ) 2008 ( T ) 2013 ( M ) Cincinnati 2013 Madrid / Shanghai 2005 ( M ) Paris Finals : 2007 Olympics 2008 2016 ( Doubles ) Davis Cup 2008 2009 2011 Rafael Nadal Official Website Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Federer -- Nadal_rivalry&oldid = 815485107 '' Categories : Tennis rivalries Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links CS1 German - language sources ( de ) Use dmy dates from September 2014 Articles lacking reliable references from March 2017 All articles lacking reliable references Articles with hCards Dts templates with deprecated parameters Commons category with local link different than on Wikidata Good articles Talk Contents About Wikipedia Български Čeština Español Français 한국어 Italiano עברית 日本 語 Polski Русский Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 15 December 2017, at 03 : 14. 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Question: when was the last time federer played nadal
Answer: the final of the 2017 Shanghai Masters