Ex-top 10 identifies challenge Rafael Nadal overcame early in Roger

Former world No. 9 Andrea Petkovic says it is impressive how Rafael Nadal managed to go from someone fans didn’t like very much early on because he was a major challenge to Roger Federer to also becoming a fan favorite.

After the legendary Swiss became a Grand Slam champion at 2003 Wimbledon and also lifted the 2004 Australian Open to reach the world No. 1 spot, it didn’t take long before pretty much everyone started rooting for him due to elegant game-style but also classy demeanor. 

But then in 2004 March, Federer was upset by a 17-year-old Nadal, who won 6-3 6-3 their Miami Open meeting. The following year, the former 20-time Grand Slam champion got his revenge by winning their second meeting that also came in Miami.

While the Spaniard was widely regarded as one of the most talented and promising players in the game, no one was ready for him to win five consecutive meetings against the Swiss between mid-2005 to mid-2006. 

But as Nadal established himself as a top player and and it became clear that he and Federer were primed for a historic rivalry, fans also fell in love with his humble personality but also his game and competitive spirit. 

Ultimately, both became two of the biggest ambassadors in tennis history and players that were probably equally loved by fans. 

“Nowadays, people forget how much adversity Rafa faced from audiences. People loved (Roger) and could not fathom a challenger as dangerous as this boy from Manacor whose whipped forehand opened the tennis court in ways thought geometrically impossible. Rafael Nadal stuck with it. He did his thing, kept winning, kept beating (Roger), kept beating him with grace and humility in his heart,” 2014 French Open semifinalist Petkovic wrote on her Substack.

“And slowly, they began to like him (Rafa), increasingly they warmed to him, in the end: they loved him. Passionately. For his decency and his broken English, for the random music video where he makes out with Shakira and his humor that started to…