Federer came tantalizingly close to his 14th Slam, and, once again, Nadal snatched another landmark away from him.
It was a match that went into its fifth hour. Less than 48 hours after Nadal went to bed after the marathon with Verdasco, he lifted his first hard-court slam.
Federer broke down during the presentation ceremony, and though it is his wont to shed a few tears after a tough victory or defeat, one understood the tears of helplessness here; how does he tackle Nadal? I had asked in this post of mine, after Nadal handed him a bagel in the final set of last year’s French Open, if Federer would ever be able to recover. The pasting at Roland Garros might not have been so bad – it was, after all, Rafa’s home turf – but then Nadal went on to win, in perhaps the best tennis match I have seen, at Wimbledon. And suddenly, after years of effortless cruising at Number 1, Federer’s dominion was under siege.
At Melbourne, last week, Federer demolished Del Potro, and a lot of us thought that the ghosts of the French Open and Wimbledon had been exorcised, and the King was back.
We were mistaken.
As anyone who watched the Australian Open final could tell, the ghosts were still messing with Federer. His ever-so-dependable serve was, well, just not there – only 52% of first serves in. Ditto his backhand. His scintillating form, on display in the run-up to the finals, seemed tentative and hesitant. And, despite having 19 break points, he converted only 6. Federer choked. And Nadal won his 6th Slam.
Here’s a little hypothesis I have come up with: both Nadal and Federer have demons in their heads. Recall how tentatively Nadal played against Verdasco. Verdasco is a good player, and was in great form, but Nadal had no business allowing that match to go to five sets. Nadal would have hated to lose to the 14th ranked player and that pressure played on his mind. He gave Verdasco too much respect, played too safe – and Verdasco piled on the pressure. Now, examine Nadal’s game against Federer. Nadal, though he hates losing, sees no shame in losing to Federer. So he played a much more assured game against Federer, taking his chances. Federer, on the other hand, was screwed by his ghosts, and faltered. Perhaps, like Nadal did with Verdasco, he gave too much respect to Nadal, and his own game suffered.
And where is all this leading? As I never tire of saying, I root for Nadal, but I hope Federer gets his 14th Slam. Unfortunately, he will have to rely on other players to beat Nadal. Like Djokovic, Tsonga or Murray. This is what happened in the US Open. And once he is in the finals of a slam, playing against someone other than Nadal, he’ll win his 14th and come level with Pete Sampras. Not quite the way of a champion, but I think he’s got no answer to Nadal’s game.
I hope he comes back stronger, though. He’s too great a player to suffer an ignominious exit. He should go out a champion.
As Dylan Thomas said, do not go gentle into that good night.
The Quirky Indian 
February 2, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Federer flat out blinked, with history in his grasp and Rod and Roy within eyesight he got nervous like I had never seen before. i really think Rod makes him more nervous and emotional than any other, the previous moments at the Aussie open are proof. He was outplayed at Wimbledon, but the level he and Rafa were playing at there was tremendous, so i say great match and surely a pass for Roger. To see his serve let him down. To look at Roger’s stats for break points won, over many matches with Rafa. These numbers speak louder than ever. And to see him, i hate to use the word, but choke with his seve failing in that 5th set the way it did, was painful. Borg blinked at the sight of greatness and walked away, knowing how hard it would be to maintain and live up to. Both he and McEnroe were content with being great. I think, considering Rafa’s path to that match that Roger blinked, but he’ll be fine. I just don’t think he is as far a top of the other greats as I once hope and thought he was. Its fun to think your watching something so brilliant in the here and now, still is but? The next chapter lies before us and i can’t wait to see what this year brings. I now see Sampras in a new light, he’s great but even more so after last nite. I think Roger should find Gil Reyes, Andre’s trainer and maybe put some work in with him. Gil for sure elevated Verdasco. Without question Rafa has a training routine that has separated him from everyone else. To comeback after a 5 hr semi, was one of the most amazing things i’ve ever seen.
February 2, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Have been a rafa fan ever since the first time i saw him on clay. I rooted for him throughout amidst heated debates over their games with Hubby dearest who’s a fedex fan. Fedex didn’t play his natural game. When he didn’t he suffered. Rafa won all his grand slams beating fedex. Right now Federer doesn’t seem to know how to handle rafa and his crazy game. But to all those who write Federer off, truth he is a champion. They may falter. Have a bad year. But then he’ll be back. He’s the only player with a near perfect game( no evidence of that in the last set of the finals- his killer instinct seemed to have deserted him). His is the only game and style close to Sampras. He’s got his demons to deal with now. His confidence is shaken. But he’s got the stuff the champions are made of and he’ll be back. Of that I have no doubts.
February 2, 2009 at 4:56 pm
You are tagged!:)http://ofsongsforthesoul.blogspot.com/2009/02/tagged-once-more.html
February 2, 2009 at 5:02 pm
oh well. i have been outta this for so long, but my bro ROOTS for the Fedman! and his google tab today said you betta not screw up wimbeldon! :p
but the fact that the match went on for so long shows Federer is long way away from out! another day! another match! 🙂
cheers!
February 2, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Yesterday was a classic Sunday… Fed-Nadal and Aus-NZ match.. whaaatttta Sunday…
Fed might equal Pete but would he go beyond that is the question too? Though Nadal lost the second set I was sure by then that Fed has something missing in him to go for it..
Quite a nice analysis..
February 2, 2009 at 5:41 pm
The thing is everybody concerned seems to think that Nadal has got a real sustainable edge over Federer. Sure he beat him in Paris, London and Melbourne. But, at the end of the day, lets not forget that both the latter 2 matches went into 5 sets. What that tells me is that Fed isnt that far away from Nadal in anycase. Also, we can not know now, but if Nadal’s current game is his peak game, then Fed just needs to improve a notch to catch up.
All in all, yes Nadal brought Fed to tears, but Fed isnt that far off from him and we musnt forget that.
February 2, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Ahh, I felt the tears tearing me too, as my daughter exulted over Nadal’s win and Federer was driven to tears.
Loved their game, so much of the spirit to learn.
February 2, 2009 at 10:16 pm
14th or no 14th Grand Slam Roger Federer will go down as one of the masters of the game. A perfect exponent of all that’s grace and beauty in tennis. He embodies perfection but how cruel it is for him that he had to face his nemesis in someone as great and determined as Rafael Nadal. Both should consider themselves unlucky that they were born in the same era. Ten years here and there and we would have been left worshiping two gods of two different ages. But it wouldn’t have been the same amount of fun watching them together then. Would it ?
February 2, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Hi QI. First, I wanted you to know that I’ve moved my supercynic site to http://thedailywit.com.
Second, this is a great essay on the Federer/Nadal rivalry. I so badly want Federer to break Sampras’ grand slam record. However, it became clear early on that Nadal had Federer’s number. Not only is the win-loss record telling, but if you look at Federer’s ratio of break chances to breaks converted, you can see that he cannot get over the hump when it comes to Nadal. There’s something mental going on in that rivalry.
All of this will make for a great 2009 in tennis. Let’s hope neither of them gets hurt.
February 3, 2009 at 12:49 am
not just too great a player but too great a looker to be seen crying by many of us who drool every time he comes on screen 😦
i wants my federer back in game!!!
February 3, 2009 at 11:08 am
@QI
Quite agree with you on this count. As quite a few commentators have pointed out, this was perhaps Federer’s best chance against Nadal in a final in recent times(considering the pre-match situation). Federer’s loss will leave him at a huge disadvantage the next time he takes on Nadal in a Grand Slam final(especially with no.14 playing on his mind).
So as you pointed out, either it’s Djokovic and co or they meet somewhere earlier in the tournament,a statistical impossibility. The third option is that Federer beats his ghosts.
That unsurprisingly is what I am hoping for.
Prasanth
February 3, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Rivals at it again and what fun to watch.
Hope Feds break my all time fav. Sampras’s record soon though am a Nadal fan here 🙂
February 3, 2009 at 12:48 pm
QI
You wins, you cries, we understands; you loses, you cries, you looks like a plonker.
Yes, we know Grand Slams are precioussss, but come on, stop embarrassing your girlfriend, Roger! 😛
February 3, 2009 at 12:49 pm
QI
The usual British use of the term ‘plonker’ does not always refer to anatomy; it refers to stupidity or foolishness. This additional note for those who may Google the word and arrive at their own conclusions. Thanks.
February 3, 2009 at 8:15 pm
It’s like Nadal solely exists for the purpose of defeating Federer. Remember the days when Federer used to demolish everybody, Aggassi had his last match against him right ?
Well, I guess Federer is getting to know what it’s like to be on the losing end. Crushing Federer is Nadal’s life’s aim.
February 5, 2009 at 11:36 am
@Bryant: Thanks for the comment. That is a good suggestion. Perhaps he does need to get a coach. But I still think he can eclipse Sampras.
@Gypsygirl: I hope he comes back too! And, even though we are both Rafa fans, I think we realise that his brand of physical tennis will make him “age” faster than other players.
@indyeah: Thanks for the tag!
@Abha: I think even most Rafa fans hope Federer comes back.
@Oxy: He’s lost his confidence against nadal.
@Rohit: Welcome and thanks for the comment. I don’t think it’s anyone’s argument that Federer’s game is way behind Nadal’s. It will always be close, perhaps even at Roland Garros. But a 13-6 record in favour of Nadal speaks for itself.
@Manpreet: Both are great sportsmen and great champions. I hope we see more of their duels.
@whatsinaname: Well put. No arguments there!
@SC: Amen to that!
@Roop: I hope he’ll be back. But he needs to look for solutions. Like a coach. Or, as some have suggested, a sports psychologist. Murray uses one, and the improvement is very evident.
@Prasanth: I agree…that he beats his ghosts and comes back is the most preferred option.
@Solilo: I think he will, but as I’ve mentioned earlier, he needs to have a plan, a strategy. His outlook needs to change.
@Shefaly: Yup, he does get very “bhavuk” very often, doesn’t he? Win or lose, he sheds tears.
@Dxtr: Not sure if it’s his life’s aim, but as Federer was the dominant player, it seems like that.
February 5, 2009 at 12:37 pm
thanks quirky, I’m glad i tripped onto your and read your insightful analysis … no doubt a coach could help, but I think more than that a to conditioning guy like Gil Reyes who did wonders for Andre and his success past 30 is more important … not to say that he isn’t in great tennis condition, but to win the French he has to be closer to Rafa. Footwork is everything on clay. Rafa’s conditioning is something we should all marvel at now. Roger moves to conserve energy and be efficent just like Pete did, but Rafa’s success on all surfaces this year should open Roger’s eyes…before he worries about a tennis coach…Roger had moments where he moved like the panther we’ve seen before when he would hit an inside out forehand on a return of serve or two to three feet behind the basline. That fluidity needs to happen more if he is to consistently beat Rafa over the next few years. That’s where I see the conditioning being most important…besides the fact that one is 22 and the other 27. He will break Pete’s record, and let’s just see how far Rafa goes before an inevitable injury occures. That’s the crux here, Roger and Pete’s style has helped each of them avoid injury and stay on such a pace. Wherein Rafa, much like Andre i fear will miss majors due to injury. Bottomline the season is too long, and injuries occur cause of it. There is no reason that there should be this big a gap between the Aussie and French. Start Aussie in mid Feburary, thus every one gets a longer break. Add that to the modern techniques of open stances and severe grips and it is unquestioned now that hip, wrist and shoulder injuries have hurt the game and clearly the building of rivalries. Rivalries make the game great and pull more casual fans in. The lack of consistent rivalries each year has harmed the greater popularity of the sport. I think it’s ashame, for us and the casual fan to miss out on something amazing like we just witnessed in melbourne.
February 7, 2009 at 10:27 pm
That crying won so many hearts 🙂
February 9, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Federer is a gem. It’s painful to see him struggle 😦
I hope he bounces back!!
February 11, 2009 at 10:23 pm
if i knew that federer would need a sports psychology, i’d have happily majored in sports psychology 😀