Nadal is King - Writers Forum

Sam Winchester · 07-06-2008, 04:23 PM

I've been watching tennis since I was old enough to know what it was. I have never, in my life, seen a final quite like the one I've just seen tonight. Drama, intrigue, aces, unbelievable will and determination, rain breaks, and almost five hours of the most incredible tennis you will ever see at Wimbledon. Or anywhere else, for that matter.

They said Roger Federer was invincible on grass. They said there was no one in the contemporary game who could come close to him on any surface. They said he would beat Pete Sampras's record of 14 Grand Slams (7 at Wimbledon) this year. They were wrong.

Four weeks ago, at the final of the French open, Rafael Nadal handed Roger Federer the worst defeat of his career, beating the Swiss 6-1 6-3 6-0 in an hour and forty minutes. Never before had Federer lost a set without winning a single game. It was a demolition job, one which changed the position of power in world tennis. It was Nadal's fourth straight French open win. It was Federer's third straight French open final defeat. But for Nadal, Federer would have done the Grand Slam (winning all four Slams - Australian, French, Wimbledon, and the US - in the one year) twice already in his career, undoutedly making him the greatest tennis player who ever lived. But on clay, Rafael Nadal is a god. He's only lost on clay once in his career, in an ATP Masters final in Hamburg against Federer. He'd one 81 straight clay games up until then.

Federer, before today, had gone 64 matches undefeated on grass. But it was obvious from the outset that Nadal wasn't going to buckle under the immense presence of Federer on grass. He broke Federer in the third game of the first set, and took the set after fifty minutes. Before this, Federer had only lost the first set in a Wimbledon final once - against Andy Roddick in 2004. He came back to win that in four. It looked like the same was going to happen again.

Federer started the second set with a two holds of serve and a break, racing into a 3-0 lead. And then, leading 4-1 and with a 30-0 lead in Nadal's service game, something happened. Nadal played the best tennis of his career to hold and win the next five games, something that has never happened to Federer at Wimbledon. Suddenly, Nadal was two sets up and Federer was on the ropes. At four all in the third set, Nadal found himself with three break points on Federer's serve. Faced with the knowledge that Nadal would be serving for the title if he won the game, Federer produced two exquisite aces and a forehand winner to level up at deuce. He then produced another ace and a brilliant forehand to win the match. And then the rain came.

An hour later, play resumed, and Nadal and Federer held their service games to bring up a tiebreak which Federer won easily.

An hour later, another tiebreak resulted in Nadal being 5-2 up with two serves to come. Then he choked, double-faulting on the first point and allowing Federer to beat him easily on the second. At 7-7, Nadal played one of the greatest shots in Wimbledon history, beating Federer down the line with a backhand after it looked like Federer had the point won. Serving for the match and championship at 8-7, he choked again, allowing Federer to win the tiebreak 10-8 and set up a fifth and final set.

At two sets all, four games all, and 40-40 in the ninth game, the rain fell again, and play was suspended for another thirty minutes. Federer returned and duly served two aces to win his game.

And then the moment came. At seven games all in the fifth set (there are no tiebreaks in the fifth sets at Wimbledon), Nadal broke Federer for the fourth time in the match, a staggering statistic seeing how Federer, in his five year reign as champion, had only been broken two times before.

At 40-15 in the final game, Federer showed the resilience of a champion to bring the game back to deuce. Nadal responded with an ace to bring up his fifth and decisive championship point of the match. And then, after another rally, Federer smashed his backhand into the net, and Nadal dropped to the ground, at 9.28 p.m., exhausted but jubilant with his victory.

In doing so, he denied Roger Federer a 13th Grand Slam title, his sixth Wimbledon title in a row, and secured his place in the history books by joining an elite few who've won the French open and Wimbledon in the same year.

And so Roger Federer is no longer the king of Wimbledon, no longer unbeaten on grass, and surely, before the end of this year, no longer the world number one.

It's the time of Rafa.

Long live the new King!

Mermaid on the breakwater · 07-06-2008, 04:47 PM

Nadal has just established himself as one of the all time greats.

I picked him when he was 17 to be the best player in the world DURING Federer's career, We'll see if I am right on that one.

Nadal lost in Barcelona, on clay, in the first round against Ferrero as well, this year. Just a minor point.

Nadal and federer will continue to have great battles on all surfaces but I am afraid Nadal is just too good for him on clay.

Quick, one more thing, Rod Laver is the greatest player of all time by a massive margin.

Sam Winchester · 07-06-2008, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mermaid on the breakwater

Nadal has just established himself as one of the all time greats.

I picked him when he was 17 to be the best player in the world DURING Federer's career, We'll see if I am right on that one.

Nadal lost in Barcelona, on clay, in the first round against Ferrero as well, this year. Just a minor point.

Nadal and federer will continue to have great battles on all surfaces but I am afraid Nadal is just too good for him on clay.

Quick, one more thing, Rod Laver is the greatest player of all time by a massive margin.

I forgot about the match against Ferrero, but I think Nadal wasn't fully fit on that day. A fully fit Nadal would beat any player on clay. In fact, I think he might be the best clay court player in the history of tennis. If not, he definitely will before his career is over.

Laver is the only player in history to win the Grand Slam twice. For that reason, I think he just about shaves it as the best player ever. However, you have to remember that there wasn't as many brilliant players in tennis during Laver's reign as there is today and in the 80s and 90s. If Federer manages the Grand Slam before his career ends, he might well be considered the best. But let's face it: as long as Nadal plays in the French open, Federer won't win it. Nadal is the fastest and fittest player on the tour, and Federer can't match up to him on clay. Right now, I don't think Federer can match up to him on any surface.

Malone · 07-06-2008, 05:55 PM

Nice. I knew it was just a matter of time until Nadal beat him on grass. Federer's still got him by like 3-1 or 4-1 in their vs. history on the grass, though, I think. I'm gonna have to go find this on the internet and watch it.

Sam Winchester · 07-06-2008, 06:18 PM

I'm sure it'll be on mininova pretty soon, Malone. Their overall record is 12-6 to Nadal. Until today, it was 5-1 on grass, I think. Nadal is the only current player still playing who holds a winning record over Federer.

Malone · 07-06-2008, 06:26 PM

Okay, I remember now. There was a Sports Illustrated article about them about a year ago that I read. It was all about how Nadal was the only one who could stand up to Federer. I guess I got it backwards earlier.

Sam Winchester · 07-06-2008, 06:30 PM

No, you were right. I meant it was 5-1 to Federer on grass. 5-2 now. Nadal has him at 10-1 on clay.

Ilasir Maroa · 07-06-2008, 06:46 PM

I missed that match...

but I'm sure there's an internet video somewhere.

Mermaid on the breakwater · 07-06-2008, 08:24 PM

it's 3.2 Federer on hardcourt, 2.1 Federer on grass and 9.1 Nadal on clay.

Nadal usually plays his best tennis at this time of the year so don't expect him to win the US open. I am sure his coach and uncle, Tony Nadal, will give him a bit of a break and they might not push as hard for that title as the French and Wimbledon. He's only 22 so has to take into consideration his development.

I think Federer could win the US open this year. He seems to play a lot of his best tennis there as well as at Wimbledon.

What's remarkable is that Nadal has won 5 slams already, at the age of just 22. Four French open titles and one Wimbledon title. It wasn't until he was 22/23 that federer won his first slam and that was at Wimbledon.

spider8 · 07-07-2008, 02:52 AM

I think Nadal could win Winmbledon every year now- especially if they keep making the court slower and slower. I liked the clips where they used a computer to show the differences between a 120mph Federer serve four years ago and a 120mph Federer serve this year. The Federer striking point was identical and both serves travelled over the net at the same speed. But the bounce this year is high, above the waist, and as this years ball crosses the baseline, the ball of four years ago is a couple of meters in front. Hence, hardly any serve/volleyers this year. But still a great player on grass. Great final, well done RN- best in the world at the moment.

Sam Winchester · 07-07-2008, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mermaid on the breakwater

it's 3.2 Federer on hardcourt, 2.1 Federer on grass and 9.1 Nadal on clay.

Nadal usually plays his best tennis at this time of the year so don't expect him to win the US open. I am sure his coach and uncle, Tony Nadal, will give him a bit of a break and they might not push as hard for that title as the French and Wimbledon. He's only 22 so has to take into consideration his development.

I think Federer could win the US open this year. He seems to play a lot of his best tennis there as well as at Wimbledon.

What's remarkable is that Nadal has won 5 slams already, at the age of just 22. Four French open titles and one Wimbledon title. It wasn't until he was 22/23 that federer won his first slam and that was at Wimbledon.

I think hard courts don't suit Nadal's game as much. He'll have to work on redefining it for them. If he can do that, I think Federer will win less and less as he inevitably slows down in his latter years. I think Nadal is a better player than Federer in almost every department except serve. Faster, stronger, fitter, more agile and athletic. His forehand is the most unbelievable sight in tennis. People used to say Federer's was unbelievable, but even he can't produce anything resembling the angles and top-spin that Nadal can. I rememeber reading that most tennis player's forehands do a turning speed of about 2000 revolutions-per-minute. Nadal's does 5000. If it had been anyone else in the final yesterday, they wouldn't have got to nearly as many of those forehands as Federer did.

Right now Nadal is a better player than Federer. Simple as. And if they thought that Federer was mentally scarred after the defeat he took on clay last month, just how will this affect him, knowing that right now he can't beat Nadal neither on clay nor grass?

Sam Winchester · 07-07-2008, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spider8

I think Nadal could win Winmbledon every year now- especially if they keep making the court slower and slower. I liked the clips where they used a computer to show the differences between a 120mph Federer serve four years ago and a 120mph Federer serve this year. The Federer striking point was identical and both serves travelled over the net at the same speed. But the bounce this year is high, above the waist, and as this years ball crosses the baseline, the ball of four years ago is a couple of meters in front. Hence, hardly any serve/volleyers this year. But still a great player on grass. Great final, well done RN- best in the world at the moment.

I agree. Now that he's finally won Wimbledon on grass against Federer, his confidence will skyrocket. If he can just improve his serve a little more (mind you he only lost it once in the final, and saved 12 of 13 break points) and his return, I don't think Federer has the ability to beat him in rallies. He ran Federer ragged in the final. And every time Federer looked to have him beaten with a forehand, Nadal reached the ball and made Federer play one more shot.

And let's not forget the mental strength of Nadal. After losing two championship points in the fourth, most players would have began feeling sorry for themselves, and Federer would have eased to victory. But Nadal was tenacious, like a pit-bull. And I was never as happy to see Roger Federer smash a tennis ball into a net at Wimbledon. Because Rafael Nadal deserved it. He left his heart, mind and body out on Centre Court last night.

Mermaid on the breakwater · 07-07-2008, 12:39 PM

Nadal won't win wimbledon every year from here on. I think he can win it more times now but Federer won't go away and other players always come along to challenge. Djokovic being one.

Federer's forehand is a great shot but he tends to slap it a lot more to generate the pace, meaning a flatter ball arch and lower percentage shot. Nadal gets the ball up well above the net and drops it well inside the lines and with pace and terrifc weight on the ball making it the ultimate percentage shot.

Sam Winchester · 07-07-2008, 01:25 PM

No, you're right, MOTB. He won't win every one from here on in, but he'll definitely add at least two in the next five years. Plus, this will give all the other guys great confidence after seeing how Federer can be beaten on grass.

Right now I think Federer's scared of Nadal. You could see a certain amount of tentativeness in his shots yesterday. His forehand was weak at times, and he tried to play it into Nadal's backhand all the time. But Nadal's so quick that he can twist his body behind a ball to set up a forehand cross court winner. Every time Federer played a ball back, Nadal seemed to be able to get the other side of it and play it on his forehand. And some of the shots Federer produced would have beat any other player in the world, yet Nadal got to almost all of them. That frustrated the hell out of Federer. It's no wonder he can't beat him on clay. When the ball moves as slow as it does on clay, Nadal is going to get to every one of Federer's forehands.