This is what Roger Federer said about Nadal after LOSING first clash exactly 15 years ago
And the Swiss maestro was gushing over the teenager as Nadal beat Federer 6-3 6-3 at the Miami Open.
Federer and Nadal’s rivalry was a regular debating point in the 2000s as both stars rose to the top of tennis.
Nadal - five years Federer’s junior - became known as the King of Clay for his dominance at the French Open.
Federer was equally impressive on grass at Wimbledon, where their pair fought possibly the greatest match of all time in the 2008 final.
Fifteen years ago today Roger Federer - then 22 - faced a 17-year-old Nadal in Miami.
I've heard a lot about him
Federer on Nadal, 2004
And it was the Spaniard who emerged victorious.
"I've heard a lot about him and I think this is not a surprise to anybody,” Federer said after the defeat.
"I'm not surprised. That's what youngsters do.”
Rafael Nadal broke onto the tennis scene as a teenager and won the French Open for the first time a year later.
He has gone on to win a staggering 11 Roland Garros titles as his dominance on clay proved the cornerstone of his glittering career.
Federer was asked about his first encounter with Nadal back in 2014 - the 10th anniversary of the match.
He said back then: "Everybody thought he was just a clay courter, and he proved that he was probably going to be more than just that.
"He went on to have this great career that many expected him to have."
Fifteen years on and both Federer and Nadal are going strong, with 37 Grand Slam titles between them.
Nadal is out of the Miami Open with a knee problem but expects to be back for the clay swing of the 2019 ATP tour, with Madrid his targeted return.
As for Federer, he plays Kevin Anderson in the Miami quarter-finals after beating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets today.