When Rafael Nadal ended Roger Federer’s reign in the old Dubai | ATP Tour
Rafael Nadal
When Nadal ended Federer’s reign in old Dubai
The Spaniard snapped Federer’s 56-match winning streak on the hard court in the title match at the 2006 event.
February 25, 2026
RABIH MOGHRABI/AFP via Getty Images
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal during the trophy ceremony after the 2006 Dubai final.
Written by Sam Jacot
March 2006. The height of Roger Federer’s reign.
The Swiss had the No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings for over two years. He had won six of the past nine majors, including three in a row, and the tour-level finals had become a regular fixture, winning 26 of his previous 27 championship appearances. On the hard courts, he was untouchable, riding a 56-match winning streak.
Dubai felt like another corotion.
Federer did not drop a set on his way to the final of the 2006 Duty Free Tennis Championships. On the other side of the net stands 19-year-old Rafael Nadal. He was already World No. 2 and established as one of the game’s brightest talents, but is still considered by many to be a clay court specialist. He was participating in only his second tournament after three months of not playing due to a foot injury.
However, there were early signs that this integration might be challenging. Nadal had won their first three Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings, suggesting the Spaniard could find solutions against the World No.
Federer got off to a good start, winning the opening set 6-2 with control that had become familiar when he was on the run. Meanwhile, the finale seemed to unfold as expected.
Nadal, however, gradually found his way into the match. Although he won 20 percent of the points after Federer’s first game and 43 percent after the second, he capitalized on the opportunities. At 4-4, 0/40 in the second set, Nadal chased Federer’s shot and hit a forehand pass, the epitome of a shot that would define their rivalry.
The third set followed a similar pattern and at 4-4, Nadal once again broke Federer’s title when the World No. 1 misses the front of the court by 30/40. The Spaniard closed out the victory 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 after one hour and 53 minutes.
“[It is] very special and after three months of being injured, it’s unbelievable for me,” said Nadal during the interview. [amazing]. I never thought of this. Playing Roger is something special for me and I am very happy.
“He is the first, and certainly the best. I won this tournament and came back very well, so I will try to continue.”
When Nadal snapped Federer’s 19-match streak in Dubai:
After his victory, Nadal fell on his back in jubilation before raising his 13th-ranked tour trophy. At the age of 19, he became the youngest champion in Dubai, a record he still holds.
For Federer, the defeats were rare but not shocking, yet significant.
“Rafa was better on the day today and deserved to win,” Federer said in his on-court interview. “He has a good record for me. At least I have something to look forward to. When I play him, I enjoy playing with him. He is completely different from my style and I think people enjoy it, so hopefully in the future we will play more often.”
They would do it.
Over the next 15 years, Federer and Nadal would meet 40 times in one-on-one matches (Nadal leading 24-16).
Federer would go on to make Dubai one of his most successful stops. He was a record eight-time champion at the event, and in 2019, he lifted his 100th title there, joining Jimmy Connors (109) and now Novak Djokovic (101) as one of three men to win 100+ titles.
Yet 20 years on, that 2006 Dubai final still stands out.
