When Roger Federer lost his cool and yelled at Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s rivalry is one that will be remembered for eons to come. The duo treated sports fans worldwide to an extraordinary display of tennis and captivated their followers with contrasting approaches to the game.
The rivalry spanned over 15 years and was famous for being one of the friendliest rivalries in all of sport, however, it witnessed occasional moments of tension. One such significant incident took place in the final of the 2006 Rome Masters. The match, which was the pair's sixth career encounter against each other, is remembered as one of the greatest matches between them.
Emotions ran high throughout the clash, which lasted over five hours. At one point during the five-setter, Federer gave in to the frustration as he had an uncharacteristic outburst, criticizing the Spaniard’s uncle and coach at the time, Toni, for partaking in illegal coaching during play.
“You all right, Toni?” the then World No. 1 furiously asked his opponent’s uncle.
After the conclusion of the final, which went in favor of defending champion Rafael Nadal 6-7(0), 7-6(5), 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(5), the Swiss player reiterated that the Spaniard’s uncle was routinely coaching him. Federer added that he managed to catch the coach red-handed.
“He was coaching a little bit too much again today. Yeah, I caught him in the act,” Federer said.
Following the roller-coaster victory, which required Nadal to recover from a cusp of loss and fight two championship points against him, he touched upon the incident between his arch-rival and his uncle. The Mallorcan remarked that Federer needed to learn to be a gracious loser.
“He has to learn to be a gentleman even when he loses,” Rafael Nadal had noted.
"We have a very good relationship" - Rafael Nadal opens up about special bond with arch-rival Roger Federer
Despite a few instances of friction, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have generally maintained a healthy equation on and off the court through the years.
In a recent interview, the Spanish professional revisited Federer's farewell celebration from earlier this year and revealed why it had such an impact on him.
"The moment was his. One of the great icons in the history of sport was leaving. I was very moved because in the end, I experienced it as a rival, as a teammate, and also as a fan. I am a professional athlete but I am a great sports fan and I value it very much,” he said, “If someone like Roger Federer leaves, it's hard not to get excited.”
The 22-time Grand Slam champion also disclosed that he remains in frequent touch with his former colleague.
"He is happy, enjoying life, delighted. We talk regularly. We have a very good relationship."