Fedal – When The Biggest Rivalry Began

How does it feel to head into a time you never wanted to? To think about the future and realizing something that you had wished never happens, is slowing being turned into reality by father time. To imagine tennis without the man from Basel and the guy from Manacor.
That last line alone, is enough to petrify any tennis fan. Two of the most loved personalities, let alone tennis players, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are in the twilight of their illustrious careers. Are they done winning majors? Probably a final story remains to be told and oh boy, we wish it’s the best chapter of their record books.

But one thing is certain, a future without these two icons is nearing us, like never before.
For the first time since 2003, neither of them is among the top 5 players of the world. Federer is already resting since his Wimbledon appearance while Rafa is no longer threatening on court, this somehow makes 2017 a very interesting year to look forward to. And we hope it brings some joy rather than heartbreaks.
The world is already visiting the nostalgic memory lanes, cherishing what they witnessed over the major part of last decade, in hopes of witnessing some more in the coming year ow two. Much has been made about their greatest matches but just like every superhero has an origin story – Isn’t it fitting that we also look at the formation years of this gigantic rivalry? Here goes. The Matador against The Swiss Maestro. The two giants squared off for the first time on the 29th of March and have met multiple times since.

1. 2004 Miami Masters – 3rd Round

Federer and Nadal played their first match in March 2004 at the third round of the Miami Masters.  Nadal, only 16 years old and ranked No. 34 at the time, surprised many by beating the then No. 1 in straight sets . The teenager Nadal swept through Federer 6-3, 6-3 in their first meeting. The Swiss was hindered earlier in the week by the flu, which looked to be lingering. Through almost three months of play on the ATP tour, it was only the second loss for Federer in the year. This was Nadal’s first appearance at Miami.

Nadal was a hard-hitting left-hander from Spain, a country renowned for its prowess on clay. This, however, was a hard court event which made it all the more special for Nadal and team.
During that match Nadal never faced a break point, and he made 81 percent of his first serves, playing a nearly perfect match against the world No. 1.

“He hit some really incredible shots, and that’s what youngsters do,” Federer said. “I’ve heard a lot about him and saw some of his matches, so this is not a big surprise.”

2) 2005 – Miami Masters – Final

A year later, Federer and Nadal met again on the courts in Miami at the NASDAQ-100, this time in the finals. In 2005, the Swiss was enjoying another dominating year as No. 1.

Again Nadal, playing extraordinary tennis, won the first two sets, 6-2, 7-6. Back in 2005 however, the finals of Masters events were extended to five sets, so instead of walking away with the championship, Nadal needed to win another set before claiming the trophy.

Federer regrouped in time to win the third-set tiebreaker, 7-5, after some nail-biting moments. The pressure was so intense that the man who typically served as the spokesperson for “calm” actually threw his racket in disgust at his inability to take advantage of the many opportunities offered to him.

Federer then went on to capture the fourth set playing at his best as Nadal continued to fade, broken three times in the fifth and final set. In all, the match lasted three hours and 42 minutes.

It was only the second time in his career that Federer came back to win after being two sets down. Now, of course, Federer has accomplished that feat multiple times.

3) 2005 – Roland Garros – Semi Final

They played again two months later in the semifinals of the French Open, which was their first match on clay.

Rafael Nadal, having entered Roland Garros on a 17-match unbeaten streak on clay, found himself the French Open favourite having never played in the tournament before. That night, as the evening shadows engulfed the Philippe Chatrier court, and on his 19th birthday, the Spaniard showed exactly why so many had believed he would win the title here, defeating the world No1 Roger Federer 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

“I was bad at the start, good in the middle,and bad at the end,” said Federer.

And so ended Fedex’s hopes of becoming only the sixth player to win all four slams, having already taken the Wimbledon title twice, together with the Australian and US Opens. “I’m disappointed but I’m not going to trash the locker room. My desire to win here is still massive,” said Federer.

It was an immense battle of wills at the start, with the mental strain showing on the faces of both men as they attempted to impose themselves and take the initiative. But, clay was Rafa’s domain and Nadal was quick to assert himself and win the match en route to his first Grand Slam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUFRDOjEL0M

4) 2006 – Dubai Final

In 2006, Nadal and Federer faced each other in six matches.It started with the Dubai final in February played on hard court.

The 19-year-old Spaniard, playing only his second tournament in four months, won, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4,on Saturday, bringing an end to Federer’s Open-era record of 56 consecutive hard-court match victories. The Spaniard broke down in tears after the win.

Nadal was still feeling his way back after a three- month absence caused by a foot injury. He said his tears at the end of the two- hour Dubai final were a mark of relief as much as joy at his 13th career title.

“I think it is unbelievable to win against the best player in the world – perhaps the best in the history of the game,” Nadal said.”It was also special because I was out of the game for more than three months. I cried because I was happy.”

Completely outplayed in the first set Saturday, Nadal changed his tactics in the second set.

“He was playing too well in the first set – very aggressive – I could do nothing,” Nadal said. “In the second, I told myself just to hold my serve, and try and be aggressive on his serve and hopefully get a break.”

“I also applied more topspin on my forehand,” he added.

Federer said he was happy with his game despite his loss. “I think Nadal deserved to win because he played so consistent,” the Swiss star said. “I started off really well, but sprayed a little toward the end. But I am very happy with my game right now. And hopefully I will pay him back soon.”

5) 2006 – Monte Carlo Masters – Final

The clay season ensued, and Nadal continued his dominance on clay, defeating Federer in the finals of the Monte Carlo Masters retaining his title with a 6-2 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-5) win. The Spanish second seed took the first set after racing to a 5-1 lead, but Federer found his form in the second.

Nadal still broke him to love in the seventh game before his nerve wobbled, allowing the Swiss star to break back for 5-5 and then win the tiebreaker. But Nadal showed why he is the world’s best on clay in the third set, then edged a tense fourth to seal victory.

Federer looked to have extended an epic final into a fifth set when he took a 3-0 lead in the second tiebreaker. But the 19-year-old Spaniard fought back as the shadows lengthened on court at the Monte Carlo Country Club.

A forehand winner on his first match point finally sealed victory and his 14th career title after three hours and 49 minutes of thrilling tennis.

“Beating Roger in the final is even more special, it’s great.””It was a very unbelievable day for me,” said Nadal. “It’s special to begin the clay season like this.

Federer,  admitted: “Rafael played a great match, it was tough to lose.” “I played a smarter match today than last year’s Paris semi-final,” Federer added. “I have moved closer to him on clay and that’s very important.”

It was Nadal’s 42nd successive win on clay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-0-gdQEvcU

6) 2006 – Rome Masters – Final

All roads lead to Rome. So the saying goes. But none of them are easy.

The prize at the end of the journey in 2006 for Roger Federer was a trophy to make him a winner at the Rome Masters for the first time in his career and, in the process, allow him to have an edge as he entered the draw at the 2006 French Open.

All the Swiss had to do to secure the victory was beat a 19-year-old world No. 2 Rafael Nadal who, according to the media, sported a new crown—King of the Clay-Courters.

Federer was determined to win one of the Masters Shields that had eluded him so far in his stellar career. The man on the other side of the net was Nadal, and the Swiss Maestro knew it would be an all-out war this time. Federer was not going to let the teenage wunderkind run over him again in another clay-court final, as Nadal had in Monte Carlo.

The resulting match played that afternoon in Rome in 2006 remains a classic—perhaps one of the best, most tightly contested matches ever played on the red dirt…or any surface. It lasted just over five hours, and the shot-making was brilliant at times as the players fought for supremacy.

Like the tides, Nadal and Federer ebbed and flowed during the match, each finding picture-perfect form for a time, then losing ground, regrouping, and waiting for the next swell to propel them into the lead.

On that day Nadal equalled Guillermo Vilas’ record of 53 match wins on clay in the Open Era winning after recovering from the brink of defeat . Nadal came back from 4-2 down and saved two match points in the final set before triumphing 6–7, 7–6, 6–4, 2–6, 7–6.

7) 2006 – Roland Garros final

 Next up – The French Open, in what was their first Grand Slam final.

Roger Federer had entered the Philippe Chatrier court just one victory away from holding all four grand-slam titles simultaneously, something only the American Don Budge and the Australian Rod Laver, twice, had ever managed in the history of the game. Against any other player in the world he would in all probability have achieved the near-mythical feat. Not against Nadal.

Tony Roche, Federer’s coach, looked down from the players’ box with quiet contentment, while Toni Nadal, Rafa’s uncle and coach was all fret and fidget. Uncle Toni sat in his chair and chewed on his lower lip: “I couldn’t move and I was very, very nervous. I knew he had never lost a slam final, and in every match we have played I had difficult moments.”

This proved to be the 20-year-old Spaniard’s 60th consecutive victory on clay and his 14th match unbeaten at Roland Garros. He is a phenomenon and as yet nobody, not even Federer in two attempts here, including last year’s semi-final, has managed to take more than one set off him in the French Open.

This was Federer’s eighth grand-slam final and the first he has lost, with the 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 scoreline reflecting Nadal’s dominance of the match in the latter stages.

“I tried, and I cannot do any more than that,” said an understandably subdued and sometimes tetchy Federer afterwards. “Obviously it’s a pity, but life goes on. I’ll probably hear for years that I missed my opportunity, but I have no choice but to accept it. It is still my goal to win here, and once again I got one step closer. Unfortunately on this occasion I did not play the match I wanted to or hoped.”

8) 2006 – Wimbledon Final

 They faced off again a month later in the final of the Wimbledon Championships, which was their first meeting on grass. And this is the part where Fedex fans rejoice.

Federer won 6-0, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 but never, after the opening set and until the final few games, was he remotely at ease. Federer began the tournament by breaking Bjorn Borg’s record of 41 successive grass-court.

This eighth major title in total lifted Roger level with Ken Rosewall, Fred Perry, Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi and Ivan Lendl. Yet, even as he defeated Nadal for the first time in six attempts, his celebration was pointedly more muted than his three previous wins over Mark Philippoussis, then Roddick twice. For Federer surely realised that not only will Nadal hound him through the hard and clay courts of the world but, from now on, through his previously inviolate grass court kingdom as well.

“I would just like to say it’s a great tournament for Rafael,” said Federer. “I honestly did not think he would reach the final but it’s a fantastic effort, so congratulations for coming so far. It was awfully tight and I was getting awfully nervous in the end too.”

This was only Nadal’s 12th match at Wimbledon, compared with Federer’s 36th, yet there were moments, for all the Spaniard’s lack of experience on the surface, when he rocked the champion on his heels and flashed winners past. Even those accustomed to seeing Nadal’s dominance on clay were filled with wonder at the way he has adapted as if within a twinkling of the eye.

“I hope any year I come back here in the final and win, I hope one year I don’t play against a guy like Roger,” said Nadal. “He played unbelievable on this surface and I improved a lot this year, so I am very happy for that. But I can play on this surface, no”

9) 2006 – Masters Cup Final

They did not meet again until the semifinals of the year-end Masters Cup which has now been replaced by The ATP World Tour Finals. Roger Federer edged out Rafael Nadal 6-4 7-5 on Saturday in another classic between the top two players in the world.

The 25-year-old Swiss produced some majestic tennis to get past the man responsible for four of his five defeats in 2006.

“It was an excellent match with high quality,” said Federer, who extended his winning streak to 28 matches.

“I’m happy I came through because these are the matches I’m waiting for, to beat the best after me. So to beat him in the last one of the season is obviously fantastic for me.

“I definitely feel like I’ve learned a few things and maybe now it’s a little more up to him to change his game.”

Nadal, who had lost to Federer in their most recent meeting in the Wimbledon final, put everything he had into the match but was always chasing the world number one after being broken in his first service game.

“I’m happy with my game and my tournament,” said the 20-year-old Spaniard. “He started unbelievable…(but) I was not so far away from him today.”

The 25-year-old Swiss wrapped up the contest with a sublime running crosscourt winner from the tightest of angles on his third match point after one hour 53 minutes.

Federer was delighted at the shot which defeated the man who denied him a Grand Slam in the French Open final, and his normally cool demeanour deserted him as he fell to his knees before punching the air in celebration.

“It was a good feeling,” he said. “And usually I have that after finals. I rarely finish off matches like this, so it was nice.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7-qGDrrH4o

The two legends are still around and we hope to see more of Fedal before one of them draws curtains on their respective stellar careers.