Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's Iconic Mixed Surface Match

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal dominated tennis in 2007 on different surfaces—Federer on grass and Nadal on clay. The debate over who was truly the best could only be settled with a unique match. Inspired by a childhood memory of a baseball stadium with mixed surfaces, Argentine tennis fan and creative Pablo del Campo envisioned a hybrid court with half-grass and half-clay. He pitched the idea to both Federer and Nadal’s teams and they agreed to play an exhibition match on the specially constructed court.

The project took 19 days and cost $1.63 million. Despite challenges including a worm infestation and grass that didn’t thrive indoors, del Campo found a solution by using grass from a local golf course, saving the event. The match took place at the Palma Arena in Mallorca on 2 May with all 7,000 tickets sold out within hours.

The match saw Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal adapt quickly as they had to change shoes every two games to adjust to the different surfaces. Nadal won the match 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (12-10), showcasing their incredible skill and resilience. While Nadal feared disaster beforehand due to the surface changes, both players found it an exciting and memorable experience.

Federer said it was “fun” but stressful due to constant shoe changes while Nadal called it a “great experience.” Though the match was a success, the idea for another exhibition never came to fruition. Nadal claimed the bragging rights for the “battle of surfaces,” while del Campo earned recognition for creating one of the most unique courts in tennis history. Novak Djokovic later praised the idea, calling it “fantastic” and a true highlight in tennis.