(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
This article weighs up the fine balance between the closest of adversaries in men’s tennis as the tour reaches its climax. Who will carry the momentum into 2010: Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal?
Introduction
Theirs is a rivalry that is already poised to move beyond the realms of the record books and into legend.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have stood shoulder to shoulder atop of the ATP rankings since July 2005: four and a quarter continuous years (aside from the three-week interlude this August while Nadal recovered from injury).
And, barring further injury, the two are set to maintain their duopoly of the men’s tour at least until the end of 2009, though both have played fewer tournaments than anyone else in the top 10. That is the measure of the vice-like grip these giants have on tennis.
Little wonder, then, that they and their stories have become inextricably interlinked.
In style, they are as contrasting as sun and rain, as distant as the Arctic from its polar opposite, as different as Mozart and Gershwin. One moves like mercury, the other like a ravenous tiger. One has a rapier attack, the other has all guns blazing. One is slender, angular, fluid, and silent. The other is expansive in muscle from shoulder through to calf, daring and plunging, volume set to high.
These very contrasts have produced some of the most compelling, competitive, intense, challenging tennis of their generation. Yet while Federer has dominated the tennis landscape since the beginning of 2004, Nadal has dominated Federer like no other player. Until 2009.
This article continues to follow the shift in domination towards Federer. Meanwhile, Rob York assesses the rivalry from the Nadal standpoint.
The story so far
Though Federer has held the top spot for all but a year of their combined reign, Nadal has won almost twice as many of their contests: 13 to seven. Federer dominated on the green and blue, but Nadal never let him near the red stuff. Nine of Nadal’s wins were on clay.
No matter: Federer ruled at Wimbledon—until Nadal beat him in 2008 in the most tightly-contested, high-quality final in living memory.
Never mind: Federer dominated on hard courts—until Nadal snatched victory in another nail-biting five-setter in the Australian Open this year.
As Nadal took control of Federer’s domain and seized the No.1 ranking, people talked openly about the long-awaited shift in the power-balance. They pointed at Federer’s refusal to take on a coach, at his emotional collapse in Melbourne, at his losses to other players. He was hit by back injury, and then diverted by the revelation of impending fatherhood.
That allowed the chorus of doubters to develop a new tune. Was Federer finding it hard to maintain his hunger? Were marriage and children the last nail in his professional coffin?
With the advantage of hindsight—or the application of some common sense—such debate was at best ill-informed, at worst foolhardy. No-one achieves the records posted by Federer, nor is held in such high esteem by his fellow players, without exceptional drive, commitment and heart.
And sure enough, in the blink of an eye, a period of rehab brought a sharper, stronger and leaner Federer back to the 2009 tour as it switched to its clay swing.
By May and Madrid, the tables had turned as Federer took his first Master’s title since Cincinnati in 2007. It was on clay and it was against Nadal.
The hard work of March continued to pay off at Roland Garros. The draw opened up perfectly to give Federer the opportunity to equal the Grand Slam record and to seal the one title that had eluded his C.V.
The reversal of fortune was completed at Wimbledon: Federer regained his favorite crown, his No.1 ranking, and the all-time Grand Slam record, while Nadal could only look on, nursing damaged knees as his titles and ranking were handed back.
Within the space of 12 months, then, their entire rivalry had been played out in miniature, with fortunes swinging back and forth, punctuated by unexpected losses, dramatic victories and debilitating injuries. It allowed the slate to be wiped clean, ready for a new chapter.
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