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Federer vs. Nadal: 20 years since their first Wimbledon showdown

Twenty years ago this week, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal contested their first Wimbledon final, bringing their rivalry to grass for the first time.

Until 9 July 2006, Federer and Nadal had met seven times, with Nadal winning six of those matches. Four of those victories had come earlier that season — in Dubai, Monte Carlo, Rome and Roland Garros — and the Spaniard won all four, the only player to defeat the Swiss in 2006. By the time they faced each other at Wimbledon, a pattern was clear. Wherever they squared off, Nadal had seized control of the rivalry.

But grass was different. For the first time, there was some uncertainty as they walked out for the 2006 Wimbledon final with one question hanging in the air: “Would Nadal’s dominance follow him here too?”

Federer arrived as the top seed and three-time defending champion, unbeaten at the All England Club since 2003 and dominant on grass courts elsewhere. Nadal, the second seed, was contesting his first Wimbledon final. Just weeks earlier, the 20-year-old had beaten Federer in their first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros, reinforcing his dominance on clay. Grass, however, remained Federer’s territory.

The contrast between the two was clear. Federer’s attacking approach, pinpoint serving and ability to shorten points was the perfect fit for the surface. Nadal’s contrasting heavy topspin, speed and relentless defence had overwhelmed opponents on clay, but had yet to be fully tested on grass against the most in-form player on the surface going for more glory on his beloved surface.

The opening set of the final appeared to reinforce the established order. Federer swept through 6-0 in little over 20 minutes. The Swiss, who arrived in the final without dropping a set, served with authority and struck winners at ease. For a moment, it looked as if this might be the one surface where the Spaniard wouldn't simply dictate the rivalry. But soon, the clash settled into something far more competitive.

Nadal responded immediately, breaking Federer's serve in the opening game of the second set and forcing the Swiss to dig deeper. Serving at 5-4, the Spaniard had a chance to level the match before Federer clawed back to force a tie-break, edging it 7/5. But Nadal refused to fade, taking the third set in another tie-break with fearless striking that hinted he belonged on Centre Court every bit as much as he did anywhere else. Federer, who had not lost a set all fortnight, suddenly found himself being pushed to the edge.

In the fourth set, the three-time defending champion finally pulled away, breaking Nadal's serve twice to seal a 6-0, 7-6(5), 6-7(2), 6-3 victory in two hours and 58 minutes on his first championship point and claim his fourth consecutive Wimbledon title. As Federer raised his arms and looked toward the sky before embracing Nadal at the net, it was another familiar celebration on Centre Court.

With the victory, the then-World No. 1 extended his winning streak on grass to 48 matches and matched Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors and Andre Agassi with eight Grand Slam singles titles.

“It’s important for me to win a final against him for a change and beat him for a change,” Federer shared. “At Wimbledon, I knew it was going to be the place for me to do it the easiest way. Turned out to be tough and it shows how much he has improved over maybe a year.”

Although Nadal lost, he believed he could contend for the title.

“It is an unbelievable tournament, unbelievable for me to play this final,” the Spaniard said. “I improved a lot on this surface this year. I can play well on this surface. So I want to continue improving because I want to win here.”

That meeting between the two marked the opening chapter of a brief — only four clashes long — but unforgettable rivalry on grass, one played entirely on Wimbledon’s hallowed lawns. A year later, in 2007, Federer successfully defended his title by overcoming Nadal in five sets to claim his fifth consecutive crown at SW19.

One year later, the rivalry reached its peak on Centre Court. In the 2008 Wimbledon final — widely regarded as one of the greatest matches in tennis history — Nadal defeated the five-time defending champion in five sets to capture his first Wimbledon title. With the triumph, the Spaniard ended Federer's reign at the All England Club and snapped his 65-match winning streak (an Open Era record) on grass courts.

The two did not meet on grass again for 11 years. When they finally did, at Wimbledon in 2019, Federer defeated Nadal in four sets in the semi-finals in what would prove to be not only their final meeting on grass but also the closing chapter of their storied rivalry. The Spaniard walked away with a 24-16 lead overall in the pair's Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

On grass, though, their story was shorter and rarer but no less unforgettable. It all began on a warm, sunny July afternoon in London.