Who has won more Grand Slams, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal?

The tennis rivalry between two certified GOATs of tennis, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer has produced some of the most unforgettable matches in tennis history. Both players have been playing each other since 2004. The duo is the only pair of men to have ever finished six consecutive calendar years in the top 2 positions. With their contrasting playing styles, Federer's vs Nadal's have created a compelling dynamic that has kept fans on the edge of their seats for over a decade.

Federer announced his retirement from professional tennis following the Laver Cup in September 2022. With his emotional video on his social media handle on October 10, 2024, Nadal announced his retirement after competing for Spain in the finals of the 2024 Davis Cup. He competed in the exhibition 6 Kings Slam, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic. At the 2024 Davis Cup, Nadal lost against Botic van de Zandschulp from Netherlands by 6-4, 6-4 in the singles quarterfinals. He will pair up with Alcaraz in the doubles category to face the team of Van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof on the condition that Alcaraz wins his tie of matches.

Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer Grand Slam Record

In contrast to Roger Federer's 20 Grand Slam victories, Rafael Nadal has won 22 Grand Slam titles. Consequently, Rafael Nadal has two more Grand Slam victories than Roger Federer.

Roger Federer has won the Australian Open six times (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, and 2018), the French Open once in 2009, Wimbledon eight times (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, and 2017), and the US Open five times in a row from 2004 to 2008.

Rafael Nadal has won the Australian Open twice (2009 and 2022), the French Open 14 times (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022), Wimbledon twice (2008 and 2010), and the US Open four times (2010, 2013, 2017, and 2019).

The Federer-Nadal Rivalry

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer's tennis rivalry is regarded as one of the best in the sport's history. Nadal has a 24-16 overall advantage over Federer in their 40 matches, including a 14-10 lead in the finals.

Twenty of their 40 games took place on hard courts, sixteen on clay, and four on grass. Federer leads on grass (3-1) and hard courts (11–9), while Nadal is ahead on clay (14-2). There were 14 Grand Slam matches in total, with Nadal holding a 10-4 lead. Federer leads 3-1 at Wimbledon, while Nadal leads 6-0 at the French Open and 3-1 at the Australian Open.

They came close to meeting at the US Open on a number of occasions, but it never happened. Federer lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2010 and 2011 semifinals, to Tommy Robredo in the 2013 fourth round, and to Juan Martin del Potro in the 2017 quarterfinals. Nadal lost to Andy Murray in the 2008 semifinals and against Juan Martin del Potro in the 2009 semifinals.

Also Read: Where has Nadal won the most?

Who is better, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal?

Federer and Nadal are both excellent tennis players, but they perform best on different court surfaces.

With 14 victories at the French Open to Federer's one, Nadal is the superior player on clay. Since Federer has eight Wimbledon titles to Nadal's two, he is the superior player on grass. Federer has the advantage on hard courts as well, having won 11 titles at the Australian Open and US Open compared to Nadal's 6.

There is therefore no clear favorite between the two players; instead, it depends on the individual's preference because they are both exceptional athletes.

When was Rafael Nadal’s last match against Roger Federer?

The Federer-Nadal rivalry's final competitive tour match was in the Wimbledon semifinals in 2019, as Roger Federer announced his retirement in September 2022. In 2019, Federer and Nadal faced off twice, with each winning one match.

Nadal defeated Federer in straight sets in their French Open semifinal match. Federer defeated Nadal in four sets in their semi-final Wimbledon match, which was their first Wimbledon against each other since 2008.