Federer v Nadal - XXX

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At this juncture in their careers, with injuries, other players rising and Djokovic's ascent to world No 1, one must surely treasure the renewal of this most prolific rivalry of Men's Tennis in "big matches." We don't know how many or even if, there will be another one. Regardless of the head to head, who's won what, at which time, during this rivalry, one has a sense of great anticipation when these two juggernauts meet.

With a great deal on the line, moving into next week's French Open, there is much to "prove" for both players. This will be a battle both of them wish dearly to win.

Nadal going for his 7th Rome title, 24th TMS title, 41st clay court title and 56th career title.

Federer hoping to lift his first Rome title, 22nd TMS title, 77th career title.

Nadal leads the head to head 19 - 10 matches, but holds a 12 - 2 edge in their clay court rivalry, plus a commanding 8 - 2 edge in the Major finals. Some would say it's a foregone conclusion that Nadal will take this meeting but if there was a time for Federer to "pounce," surely this is one of the opportune times to do so. The two tend to bring out the best in each other, and one just hopes that they can both play superlative tennis for the duration of the match. It's 7 years since their epic 5 set, 5 hour and 5 minute final in Rome, where Federer held match points, only for Nadal to edge the match in a final tiebreak.

Am really looking forward to it, regardless of what it might or might not, portend for Roland Garros.

2013 ATP Masters Series Hard QF Nadal 6-4, 6-2 19 Nadal's 1st HC tournament in a year! Went on to win the title!
Indian Wells
2012 ATP Masters Series Hard SF Federer 6-3, 6-4 10 1st outdoor hardcourt win since Miami 2005 for Federer
Indian Wells
2012 Australian Open Hard S Nadal 6-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-4 18 N's 8th win from 10 meetings in Major tournaments
Melbourne
2011 Tennis Masters Cup Hard RR Federer 6-3, 6-0 9
London
2011 Roland Garros Clay F Nadal 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1 17 Win's 5th match, and 4th final v Federer at French Open; ties Borg at 6 titles
France
2011 ATP Masters Series Clay S Nadal 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 16 1st time winner of 1st set hasn't won match!
Madrid
2011 ATP Masters Series Hard S Nadal 6-3, 6-2 15
Miami
2010 Tennis Masters Cup Hard F Federer 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 8
London
2010 ATP Masters Series Clay F Nadal 6-4, 7-6 (5) 14 1st Man to win 3 straight TMS titles, and all 3 on clay for the season
Madrid
2009 ATP Masters Series Clay F Federer 6-4, 6-4, 7
Madrid
2009 Australian Open Hard F Nadal 7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2 13 N saved 13 of 18 bp's; N played 5 set SF, day after F played 3 set SF!!
Melbourne
2008 Wimbledon Grass F Nadal 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 12 N had MP's in 4S TB
Great Britain
2008 Roland Garros Clay F Nadal 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 11 Utter destruction!! Worst professional loss for Federer EVER!
France
2008 ATP Masters Series Clay F Nadal 7-5, 6-7, 6-3 10 F led 5-1 1st set, 5-2 2nd set
Hamburg
2008 ATP Masters Series Clay F Nadal 7-5, 7-5 9 F led 4-0 1st set, led 2nd set
Monte Carlo
2007 Tennis Masters Cup Hard S Federer 6-4, 6-1 6
China
2007 Wimbledon Grass F Federer 7-6(7), 4-6, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-2 5 N had 4 breakpoints in 1st 2 service games 5th set, didn't break…could have won 6-2 !
Great Britain
2007 Roland Garos Clay F Nadal 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 8
France
2007 ATP Masters Series Clay F Federer 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 4 Ended N's 81 CC match streak. 1st CC final N has lost.
Hamburg
2007 ATP Masters Series Clay F Nadal 6-4, 6-4 7
Monte Carlo
2006 Tennis Masters Cup Hard S Federer 6-4, 7-5 3
China
2006 Wimbledon Grass F Federer 6-0, 7-6(5), 6-7(2), 6-3 2
Great Britain
2006 Roland Garos Clay F Nadal 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6(4) 6
France
2006 ATP Masters Series Clay F Nadal 6-7(0), 7-6(5), 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(5) 5 F had match points !
Rome
2006 ATP Masters Series Clay F Nadal 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-3, 7-6(5) 4
Monte Carlo
2006 Dubai Hard F Nadal 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 3
U.A.E.
2005 Roland Garos Clay S Nadal 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 2
France
2005 ATP Masters Series Hard F Federer 2-6, 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-1 1 N had match point !
Miami
2004 ATP Masters Series Hard R32 Nadal 6-3, 6-3 1
Miami

Let's hope it's not the last career meeting for these two giants of the modern game, but that it IS one of their most hard fought and suspenseful matches, and enjoy the "moment...." All too soon, this rivalry will end, as it must, but hopefully not tomorrow!

HE It pleases me to note that you have not made fish of one and foul of the other but I do have to agree that Rafa´s game his highly efficient, effective and at times brilliant.. however as has already been mentioned Rafa himself would hardly call his game "beautiful"

I think Roger and Rafa epitomise the story that we have all come to know .... "The Beauty and the Beast"

Rafa hits astonishing winners but I always feel his main focus is to invite error from the opponent.

He more often tries to make the opponent's racquet misfire than to make his own racquet fire.

Isn´t that a part of any "battle" to lure your opponent into making an error and then confound them with your own excellence. Part of the mental part of Rafa´s game I think

Defensive tennis. He is very good at it, so why change that approach?

LuvSports! wrote:Defensive tennis. He is very good at it, so why change that approach?

That is true but he has and he did especially against Berdych and Roger. .Apply the same tactics to Novak perhaps ???? who knows. Rafa plays his best tennis when he becomes more aggressive but he can play both But Will he ??? On that we must wait and see.

Feds and bird cannot go toe to toe physically with rafa as djoko can. When rafa cannot rely on this I think he goes for more winners, therefore he hits more UE's.
Nadal lost more confidence with every loss in '11 and djoko's level dropped in '12 as rafa improved slightly.

Even'in all.

I see Nadal as prominently an attacking player, not so much going for winners all the time, but trying to force the other player to produce a short, slow return that he can attack and put away or at least force an error, going wide many times to open the court or aiming for the corners to push the player back.

It may look defensive sometimes and it prob is, but I couldn't say he was a defensive player per se, just has the potential to defend to retrieve and keep the point alive and try to turn the point around.

For Federer, he was most likely the best at putting the ball where the other guy could only play defensive or at least try to produce an amazing shot just to keep Roger under some kind of pressure, it that respect, he plays a lot like Nadal, but with a totally different mind set
Federer doesn't like long rallies and was superb at shortening the point with a winner or a forced error. I can't remember watching anybody with the ability to change direction with so much sleight of hand as Federer, he always managed to confuse the opposition to go one way or think the point was just warming up, then it was over before you could blink.

I remember when he was labelled the Magician.

When a player stands 6 feet+ behind the baseline i see him as a defensive player.
I thought they called santoro the magician, but you can see why they would for feds "when he waves that magic wilson wand" - Koenig.

LuvSports! wrote:When a player stands 6 feet+ behind the baseline i see him as a defensive player.
I thought they called santoro the magician, but you can see why they would for feds "when he waves that magic wilson wand" - Koenig.

But he didn´t do that against Berdych or Roger so he is not purely a defensive player.. he is with Novak and Ferrer ... too much But as I say he has the ability to change that .. will he ?? I think he can

Nadal's biggest weapon for me is less his retrieving ability but his ability to make passing shots that no other player can even thinking about. It is his counter-attacking ability that really punishes players

Nadal is an adaptable player, he doesn't play just one way. Trying to put him into a convenient tennis box doesn't work. Standing 5m behind the baseline isn't a weakness, its a tactic. At Wimbledon or Queens you wont find him 5m behind. At some clay events you will. He does what's needed to get the job done.

Born Slippy wrote:Nadal is the antithesis of beautiful tennis. His game is designed to stop opponents from being able to play, with all risk being cut out of his game. Its hugely effective and a triumph for Uncle Toni but beautiful it definitely is not.

You think there is no beauty in these shots?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlNElDxWNIs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8kJoT8K5fU

One last one, I promise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOkpZzC78aY

ChequeredJersey wrote:

Born Slippy wrote:Nadal is the antithesis of beautiful tennis. His game is designed to stop opponents from being able to play, with all risk being cut out of his game. Its hugely effective and a triumph for Uncle Toni but beautiful it definitely is not.

You think there is no beauty in these shots?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlNElDxWNIs

They're great shots... but almost every single one is hit from at least 4 feet behind the baseline!

Doesn't make them less aesthetically pleasing, or skillful, though, surely?

ChequeredJersey wrote:Doesn't make them less aesthetically pleasing, or skillful, though, surely?

No, it doesn't diminish the shots. They're great.

But that court position is why people say he's defensive.

Nadal isnt beautiful, but he is my favourite player to watch. That banana forehand is imo the single greatest shot (not served by Karlovic) in the game today.

He is the most exciting player to watch primarily because you cannot read him.. (unless he is playing Novak who I say does Rafa´s tennis no favours or his own come to that its purely a power game between two men ready to slug it out.. awful) but Rafa has such an ability to change defence into offence and his brilliance at times is breathtaking You cannot call him a defensive player per se not when he can volley the way he does

As I say, he is primarily a counterpuncher. This takes a mostly defensive game but with the ability to destroy an opponent with a single attacking shot

kingraf wrote:Nadal isnt beautiful, but he is my favourite player to watch. That banana forehand is imo the single greatest shot (not served by Karlovic) in the game today.

I would say on clay or high bouncing hard court, he doesn't get as much purchase on it in faster conditions. Still he creates angles on that shot that nobody else can. Watching Nadal live you really see the work he puts on that ball and how much the ball changes speed. The ball starts fast, then checks again and drops down and then blows up off the surface, a nightmare to time and control a ball with that much work.