Posted on Friday, 27th August 2010 by Suminder Sandhu
"This guy?"
In the build up to this year’s US Open I found similar themes running through the press: is Federer still up to the challenge? Will Nadal complete his career Grand Slam? The customary curveball from Borg by tipping neither of the two. But despite the recurring questions one thing separates this year’s Open from the past six or so; there isn’t one hot favourite.
Murray’s preference and affection for Flushing Meadows (coupled with his aggressive, calculated and highly impressive final three matches at Toronto a fortnight ago), Berdych’s emergence from unrealised talent to grand slam contender, Soderling’s recent forays deep into the big tournaments, Nalbandian’s delightful return into the top 30, and Djokovic’s…well, Djokovic’s insistence on playing the sublime and the shocking means it’s a difficult one to predict. There’s a host of names I’m tempted to think of in the semis. But there’s still only two that I would like to see in the final.
And yet the inevitable danger looms of casting one player’s legacy against the other before they’re even close to retiring and all before the first round of this year’s final slam has been played. Just like Messi was burdened with Maradona’s history in the preamble to South Africa, and just like Federer was burdened by Sampras’s before May of last year, Nadal is already, somewhat prematurely, being demanded to chase Federer’s current mark of 16. I suppose it’s just the nature of elite sport. And, quite hypocritically, I’m left being unfairly dismissive of every other player competing in New York just so a sporting rivalry can etch its few missing details into the history books. Whilst this is wholly pointless before the Open is even underway, I couldn’t help but be excited by the prospect of it.
An exhibition match in Mallorca, 2007
I can’t deny that the spectacle of a Federer-Nadal grand slam final is the apogee of any sporting event for me. When I consider their respective achievements the magnitude of their encounters is coloured with a context that is unparalleled: leaving winning streaks (Federer’s open era records on grass and hard courts, 65 and 56, and Nadal’s record of 81 consecutive wins on clay – as if to solder the point home, each streak was ended by the other man), consecutive titles, and head to heads aside we can see that 20 of the last 22 grand slams have been won by either Federer (12) or Nadal (8). Going back to Wimbledon ’03, Federer’s first major, 24 of the last 29 slams have gone to either the Swiss or the Spaniard. The stats simply defy belief.
But stats alone don’t make classics; styles do. And the velveteen elegance of Federer is diametrically opposed to the relentless adrenaline surging Nadal. But I think what I enjoy most about the professional rivalry, aside from the intergalactic talents on show, is that it has been without the need for personal animosity. The two have not yet showcased the kind of dislike that saw Sampras serve a ball at Agassi’s head in the Hit for Haiti exhibition. Whilst some clamour for that added edge, I’m glad it’s missing. The pair’s off court relationship is even infectious:
Federer and Nadal cracking each other up
Andre Agassi made a telling comment in his interview with HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur when asked about the pair’s rivalry:
“I think he’ll [Nadal] have to win the US Open for there to be a legitimate argument [to be considered alongside Federer]. If Nadal wins the US Open, let’s take a look at what we’re talking about; we’re talking about a guy, Nadal, who’s won every grand slam, he’s won a gold medal, he’s won multiple Davis Cups, and he’s had a dominant record over Roger Federer in the prime of Roger Federer’s career. You’ve got a case that, you know, he’s the best of all time. The truth is Roger’s won a lot more. But is ‘more’ the criterion? I don’t think it’s ever been the criterion.”
I can’t argue with Agassi. But he also refrained from being categorical by concluding that it is ‘absolutely Federer’ whose career remains the barometer by which ‘the greatest ever’ must measure themselves. As for me, I just hope the two get a chance to face off in the only grand slam final they’re yet to play one another in.
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Tags: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer
Posted in Blogs, Other | Comments (2)
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August 28th, 2010 at 12:57 am
Great article – I for one will also be hoping for the same. Fed would be my favourite going into the Open given its been 7 years since he wasnt in the final and not sure whether Nadal has quite cracked the Clay-Grass to Hard court transition.
Great article – Interesting how Agassi is coupling himself with Nadal given the similarities of the rivalry dynamic they faced in their careers. Unsurprising that Agassi’s criterion is not ‘more’ given his 8 slams to Sampras’ 14 and the comments seem angled at leveraging his own somewhat overshadowed legacy. (The insight into his rivalry with Pistol Pete make his autobiography, ‘Open’ one of the best sports books ever written.)
I will be hoping for the same at the US Open. Fed would be my favourite going into it given its been 7 years since he wasnt in the final and not sure whether Nadal has quite cracked the Clay-Grass to Hard court transition.
However, the most beautiful reunion between Federer and Nadal would not be at Flushing Meadows though but at the Wimbledon Final where the winner could lay claim to the title of the ‘Greatest Player of All-time’. On that occasion, if only for a point, I for one would like to see that tremendous respect cast aside and animosity prevail to reveal the rawest emotions and the burning ambitions of two of the greatest champions of the game, and of the sporting world.
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February 1st, 2011 at 10:23 am
I really like and appreciate your blog article.Much thanks again. Cool.
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