Sania Mirza: 'Having Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal around is incredible. We need..'

As a part of the Match in Africa 6, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal battled at the Cape Town Stadium on February 7 in front of a crowd of 51,954, setting a new world record that would take some beating in the years to come! The first Match in Africa occurred in Zurich in 2010, and Roger and Rafa were the main protagonists, meeting again a decade later to share their passion for the sport with the people in South Africa, a land of Roger's mother where he never competed before. Federer toppled Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in an hour and 45 minutes, keeping his perfect record in the Match in Africa encounters after beating Stan Wawrinka, Andy Murray, John Isner and Jack Sock between those two Rafa clashes. It was another tennis festival between two great rivals who have pushed each other for over 16 years after their first match in Miami 2004.

Always forcing each other to bring more, Federer and Nadal have played some of the most significant tennis history encounters, sharing 40 Major titles and many other notable achievements that should stay in their hands for good. Fearsome rivals on the court, Federer and Nadal have always shared mutual respect, praising one other after significant achievements. A month ago, Federer sent a warm message to Rafa when the Spaniard claimed the 20th Major title in Paris, matching his record and joining him at the top. Rafa claimed the 13th Roland Garros crown after beating Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5, matching Federer's Major tally and writing a new chapter of tennis history.

Sania Mirza had a chance to play with both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

The famous Indian doubles player Sania Mirza had the opportunity to share the court with both legends, revealing their mutual respect and how they talk about each other. Undergoing two knee surgeries in February and May, Roger Federer has played only one tournament in 2020, working hard on return and hoping for more great encounters against Nadal in the next couple of years.

"The way Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal talk about each other on and off the camera is pretty incredible. I have seen that being a part of IPTL with both players. They speak so highly about each other. On the courts, of course, everybody knows that they've had some incredible matches and have some incredible history, but I think off the court are the moments that make them very special. The respect they have for each other, and when they play, you can see that there is so much respect and mutual admiration. They bring so much to the game and such different things that our sport needs both of them," Sania Mirza said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3k0AuYg