Rafael Nadal: Who's His Stronger Challenger, Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic?

If anyone is not aware of the men holding down the top three spots in the tennis world, you have to have been living under a rock, as the old cliché goes.  

We just saw a great showcase in the French Open.  For a while now, there has always been great discussion of the Nadal-Federer matchup or as it's most commonly referred to: the rivalry.  Their French Open final received the highest television rating since the 1999 final.  It has simply become an unspoken, expected truth that one or the other would hold the No. 1 spot.    

But over the last few years, there has been another player working hard to join this contest of tennis skill. That person, of course, is Novak Djokovic. 

As Djokovic has made a bold leap onto the scene with his phenomenal start to 2011, he has added a new twist, offering a challenge to both Nadal and Federer.  However, though this contest is looked upon by many as an all-around challenge, each man against the other two, one angle seems to draw more discussion. 

Nadal has and continues to be the person that has to be defeated if one is to attain the No. 1 ranking.  And that being the case, the question becomes, who challenges him the most, Federer or Djokovic?

My answer:  Novak Djokovic

Reason

No one can deny that Roger Federer is a great tennis player.  That’s a fact. However, at the moment, he is simply not playing at a level that could offer a real challenge to Nadal. I don’t feel that he would be able to place Nadal in a vulnerable position and maintain it continuously. I think his best right now is a set or two here and there, as he did at the French.

On the other hand, Djokovic is another situation.  It’s just the opposite.

At this moment, he’s better at making Nadal vulnerable. My reasoning is his agility and court coverage.  These are the two areas that Nadal has been able to use as weapons against his opponents, and Djokovic has shown that he can neutralize them enough to win matches.  Djokovic has managed to elevate his game in these two areas through a strict nutritional and physical training program.

Nobody can tell how things will turn out.  We will just have to continue watching.  Here,  I’ve given my opinion on Nadal’s strongest challenger. What about you? Who’s your choice? Do leave comments below.