5 iconic sporting pairs who are always discussed together

Roger Federer – Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer was present at the inauguration of close friend Nadal’s tennis academy in Spain last year

The pair have a 35-match rivalry that is significantly tilted in favour of Nadal, but Federer took the latest victory – at the finals of the 2017 Australian Open, after a closely-fought match, as each of their Grand Slam finals has been.

Watching a ‘Fedal’ final is not just exciting due to their iconic rivalry, but the fact that the two players routinely bring out the best in each other. The two share a long-standing mutual respect and have been friends since their earliest days on the circuit, a friendship that has only grown stronger with time.

Each speaks of the other as the best rival they could have, with Federer describing Nadal as his “dream doubles partner.”

Both players are routinely considered perhaps the Greatest of All Time, and are well worthy of the GOAT title.

But their names are almost always mentioned together – like the yin to one another’s yang, Federer and Nadal not only bring out each other’s best game, but are a testament to the other’s sheer skill.

Perhaps it could be argued that one might not have seen Nadal’s prodigious skills reach the level they did had he not had the sounding board of the iconic Roger Federer – or that the 18^th Major record for Federer could not have happened without that Nadal push.

Over the years, the two have elicited each other’s top play – and given fans some of the best tennis they could have hoped to watch.

Such is the bond the two share that in 2016, Federer flew to Spain to inaugurate the tennis academy founded by Nadal in his hometown of Manacor, Spain.