Federer vs. Nadal: FedEx Won't Deliver in Australian Open 2012 Semifinal

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will reignite their historic rivalry in the semifinals of this year's Australian Open on Thursday. This is going to be a match that will set the tone for both players in 2012, but Federer has more pressure on his shoulders. 

Last season was the worst of Federer's career since 2002. He failed to win a Grand Slam for the first time in nine years and looked overmatched when he took on the younger Nadal and Novak Djokovic. 

He has come out of the gate strong this year, winning his first five matches at the Australian Open in straight sets. He just finished a destruction of Juan Martin del Potro, the 11th-ranked player in the world. 

Nadal, on the other hand, struggled against Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals. He dropped the first set and had to win a second set tiebreaker before putting everything together in the final two sets to lock up a match with his nemesis. 

It would appear that momentum is on Federer's side, but as anyone who has ever played sports can tell you, what happened yesterday means nothing. All that you can focus on is what you are going to do today—or in this case on Thursday. 

Federer has yet to face someone with Nadal's speed, nor has he found someone who can match him shot for shot in this tournament. 

Nadal is a better overall player than Federer at this stage of their careers. He has more power in his serves, more energy and vitality in his body, and showed off his spectacular forehand against Berdych that no one will be able to touch. 

When Federer takes the court on Thursday, he will be trying to preserve his well-established legacy in tennis. This is not just another match for him. It is his opportunity to prove that he can still be a dominant player. 

At 30 years old, Federer doesn't have the same skills that he used to when he was in his prime. He is still good enough to defeat a majority of players on the ATP Tour, as evidenced by his performance in this event, but he is not in the same league as Nadal and Djokovic. 

He will prove that on Thursday night when he stands across from Nadal.

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