Roger Federer Congratulates Rafael Nadal on Winning Historic 21st Grand Slam Title

There are clearly no hard feelings from Roger Federer about Rafael Nadal becoming the first man to win 21 Grand Slams.

Federer took to Instagram with a warm message for his longtime rival after Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev in Sunday's 2022 Australian Open final:

Nadal holds a 24-16 overall record against Federer during their storied careers, including a 10-4 mark in Grand Slams. The Spaniard's win over Medvedev broke his tie with Federer and Novak Djokovic for the most Slams in men's tennis history.

Federer's future in tennis is currently murky, as he's missed most of the last two years with knee problems. The 40-year-old has maintained he plans to attempt a comeback this year, but it's fair to wonder if his days as a major championship competitor are over.

The same cannot be said for Nadal, who will likely head into the 2022 French Open as the favorite for his 14th championship at Roland Garros. His path in France could be even clearer if Djokovic is unable to enter the country because of his vaccination status.

Djokovic missed the 2022 Australian Open after being deported from Australia because he is unvaccinated for COVID-19 and did not meet the country's protocols to gain entry on an exemption. France recently enacted a strict vaccine law that could limit Djokovic's ability to play in the French Open if he is not inoculated.