Much of this hatred between the two is politically rooted, dating as far back as the 1930s when Spain was under dictatorship rule. Real Madrid is seen as representing Spanish nationalism, and Barcelona is viewed as representing Catalan nationalism. Throughout history, Barcelona has been known for its rebellious nature, while Madrid has been a conservative symbol.
Image Courtesy - AS English | Powered By - Stadium Talk
Competing against each other for over a decade, Nadal and Federer have become poster boys for the Golden Age of tennis. Their stardom hasn’t been restricted to the court, both heading up some of the biggest brands in the world; Federer being the face of Gillette and Rafael Nadal an ambassador for PokerStars.
But when it comes to their head-to-head battles, there’s only one man holding the aces. The Spaniard has won 23 of the 33 matches between the pair, including nine Grand Slams titles with the 2008 Wimbledon final being lauded as one of the best matches of all time.
Image Courtesy - Sports Keeda | Powered By - Tennis Now