39th career meeting. Nadal leads 23-15. 5th meeting at Roland Garros. Nadal leads 5-0. Nadal has not won the last 5 meetings, and not beaten the maestro for 5 years. These are just numbers. Just numbers. But Federer-Nadal or as is called ‘Fedal’ is the rivalry that cuts across tennis history and dare i say any sport.
Starting way back in Miami, 2004 a teenager in 3-quarters with biceps brooding over came up trumps against a guy who had opened his account GS records with a couple in bag and was destined to write history books. Nadal won that one, but who would have thought that during the next 15 years it will become the cult match that it supposedly is. In the inital few years, both were a regular feature at the business end of any major but especially French and Wimbledon, they went loggerheads in finals in 3 occasions in as many years. Nadal has troubled Federer in the dirt to an extent which made him question if he is even good enough to win this, and Federer was trying really to save his fort in SW19 but he lost the crown in the dream final of 2008.
Nadal’s top spin to Federer’s backhand has had him in lot of troubles which has given him an absolutely runaway advantage on Clay court, but Federer’s game suited best to fast courts has won all but Nadal’s game.
What makes this match special is not the talent they show off on the court...but the charisma they have off it. They are the best examples of a sporting rivalry. You can think of any generation and name Ronaldo-Messi, Tendulkar-Lara, Joe Frazer Vs Muhammad Ali, Michael Schumacher- Hill, Armold Palmer-Jack Nicklaus but nothing when compared to gladiators on the court trading blows baseline to baseline, corner to corner. Its been 15 years, but dare i say passion has diminished. That hunger, that zeal to have one extra point, one more break chances, one more game, one more set, one more match and hence, one more championship is what these nerves of excellence has been built upon.
Federer’s decision to return to clay after 4 years at the sunset age for tennis players of 37 was definitely applaudable for tennis fans across but if someone had a bet that he will play French Open semis against Nadal would be a rich guy today. Not sure how many out there would bet for it. Federer has acknowledged that road to Clay’s glory goes through Nadal and that is a testament to Nadal’s phenomenal record on this surface (11 French Open).
But, and this is a big but, this rivalry has surprised everyone at some point of the career, even at 37, Fedex has the game to surprise Nadal. Now, that is a testament to Federer’s longevity coz he still commands that authority he cannot be a pushover even in the dire scenario especially against his arch nemesis.
The hallowed Parisian clay will witness one of the strangest matches in the history, let alone they will witness the history. This is Nadal’s territory, pressure will be on him, but Federer at 37 may have some new tricks up his sleeve (his renewed early take up on backhand has made Nadal not that a potent force against him post AO Final in 2017).
NYT writes “What is clear is that dueling from the baseline and the baseline alone would not have worked against Wawrinka on clay, just as Federer knows it won’t work against Nadal. But when you have played someone 38 times, there can be few surprises.”
The battle, perhaps, is not on the court as much it is on the nerves and the mind. We are ready for #39. Vamos Rafa for me!
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