The birth of the rivalry
On March 28, 2004, Rafael Nadal made headlines around the world after defeating Roger Federer in two sets (6-3 and 6-3) in just over an hour, marking the beginning of their historic rivalry in the Miami Masters.
"Today I was close to perfection because I played focused on the court, dominating the exchanges and pressuring him so he couldn't play his usual game. Oh, one thing I forgot to mention: my serving was fantastic," words from a teenage Nadal, ranked number 34 at the time, who at 17 years old defeated the reigning champion, a 22-year-old Roger with two Grand Slam titles under his belt (Wimbledon 2003 and Australian Open 2004).
RELIVE THE BIRTH OF THE RIVALRY