Roger Federer, Nadal’s greatest rival throughout his career, posted his reaction with a comment on the Spaniard's Instagram post, saying: “What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come. Thank you for the unforgettable memories and all your incredible achievements in the game we love. It’s been an absolute honour.”

A passage from the Rudyard Kipling poem “If” is written on the wall of the players’ entrance to Wimbledon’s Centre Court. “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two imposters both the same,” it reads. Competitors can glance at Kipling’s writing before they take to the London grass.

The epic rivalries between Nadal-Federer and Nadal-Djokovic are highlighted through five of their greatest matches each. Key moments include the 2008