12/22/24
May 21, 2007
And so it ends...: Roger Federer ends Rafael Nadal's dominance of the clay court.
posted by boredom_08 to tennis at 06:43 AM - 7 comments
If there isn't a showdown at the French, then someone's not paying attention. Right now, it's Roger, then Nadal, and then everyone else. Any time these guys play, regardless of the surface (though especially on clay), it's stop-everything time. This is just another episode in the Clash of the Titans at the top of the tennis world. Fair play to Nadal for his streak, and to Federer for finally getting the monkey off his back, but this saga is nowhere near being over. They could push each other to stratospheric achievements by the time they're both done. They're lucky to have each other.
posted by chicobangs at 10:23 AM on May 21, 2007
Correction: Federer ended Nadal's streak; he didn't end Nadal's dominance.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 11:06 AM on May 21, 2007
I agree with lil_brown_bat, Rafa is still dominant on clay. Also, while Roger was looking mighty dangerous in Hamburg, he has to win three sets in Roland Garros - very difficult against Nadal on a grueling clay surface. Nadal is one of the few players in the history of the sport that intimidates opponents purely through his level of effort and this is one the keys to his (continued) dominance on the red stuff. Personally, as much as I respect Federer I don't want to see him win the Grand Slam, I prefer it to remain a near impossible, almost quixotic, undertaking that escapes even all time greats like Roger.
posted by sic at 02:26 PM on May 21, 2007
PS. although I'm dying to see another Federer-Nadal final in the French, I'm even more interested to see if Rafa can put together another amazing tournament in Wimbledon and face off against Federer there. Last year I watched all of his matches at Wimbledon and after the barn burner in the first round, I've never seen a player maintain such incredible focus all the way through to the final - although he lost to the superior grass court player in the end, he won my undying respect with that tournament.
posted by sic at 02:30 PM on May 21, 2007
The idiots on the Australian TV coverage said that Federer only won because Hewitt took Nadal to 3 sets in the semi final, and therefore tired him out. Dear God.
posted by owlhouse at 05:59 PM on May 21, 2007
All good things must come to an end. That will make the French that more appealing to watch....
posted by dlopez916 at 11:04 PM on May 21, 2007
Let's hope for a showdown at the French Open. I want Roger to win them all.