Tournament
Most notably, they have in common a calmness under incredible pressure, a mental fortitude that others can’t match, and an ability to recover, physically and emotionally, even mid-game. After losses to Roger Federer in the 2006 and 2007 championship matches at SW19, Rafael Nadal entered his third straight Wimbledon final against the Swiss in the form of his life in 2008. Subcategory
The third set was interrupted by rain, with Federer leading 5-4.
It was the longest final in In the years since, the match has become commonly known as one of the greatest ever. There were forays to the net, and long rallies—most notably on Federer’s break point at 4–3, which lasted twenty-one shots, with Nadal’s topspin forehand bouncing higher and higher, and Federer fighting it off with his one-hander up around his shoulders, until finally the Swiss player blinked.
Was it revenge for 2008?
Watch the best moments from the semi-final that opposed Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer at #RolandGarros 2019.
Even the debate over which player is the greatest of all time can seem a little off point (and, besides, Djokovic may have something to say about that).
It was once easy to caricature the stylistic differences between them, and, although the contrast remains, there has also been convergence. Relive the three Wimbledon finals the all-time greats have contested
There were more fireworks: Nadal running down a Federer volley and flicking his backhand to drop deep in the corner, an impossible get; Federer flying in on his forehand. Toward the end of the fourth set, as I watched Nadal fend off four match points—in an astonishing stretch that matched the level that he and Federer showed more than a decade ago—I found myself simply submitting to each shot, without worrying what it meant in a larger sense.
Rafael Nadal won 6/3; 6/4; 6/2. Scores
Storky Masterpiece 1,642,895 views 31:31 25 Tennis Shots SO GOOD the Opponent Had to … Watch the best moments from the semi-final that opposed Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer at #RolandGarros 2019. Category
But while Nadal had proved a worthy fighter on clay and hard – the Spaniard had won 17 tour-level titles, including two The duo had split the season's two first Grand Slams – Federer winning the The Swiss eased through the opener and broke Nadal when the Spaniard served at 5-4 to close out the second set.
It was the only real opening on either man’s serve in the first set, which went to a tiebreaker.
They were just playing grass-court tennis, and we had the privilege just to watch.No one could feel anything but admiration for the way the untested fifteen-year-old had played, not only against Simona Halep but throughout her improbable run.The members of the national team, beating the Netherlands on Sunday, have both inherited their claim to excellence and earned it, and they are unafraid to acknowledge their position.Several favorites who have been hailed as the future of the game emerged from the tournament looking vulnerable.The social-media personality covers the next generation of N.B.A. Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer - Semi-final Highlights | Roland-Garros 2019. It’s grass-court tennis, and I’m going to come out there and play attacking tennis.’ And, if he can defend that, that’s too good. Year
In the fourth and final set, Federer’s ground strokes, unexpectedly, allowed him to outlast Nadal in rallies. But, assisted by a bigger racquet face, he drives his backhand hard, making it less of a liability.On Friday, then, it was no surprise when the first set favored both servers: aces and classic 1–2 patterns. One shot and the Swiss' reign would have ended right there, but again his serve rescued him.Nadal, though, struck a forehand winner with Federer approaching the net for his second championship point at 8/7. The Spaniard saved a break point in the first game of the third set and then didn't face another break point until Federer claimed the decisive break in the sixth game of the fifth set.Having seen Nadal save 16 of 17 break points against him to win The World No.
Federer was hitting about twice as many winners as Nadal, following his aggressive game plan, but Nadal was an unbreakable force; he came away with the match’s first break.Then something unfamiliar happened: Federer fell apart. The more they play, and the more they distance themselves from almost everyone else, the more they seem to share.
Not really. With Nadal’s confidence dented, Federer seized control of the tie-break and took the final to a decisive set.More rain interrupted the match at 2-2 in the fifth set. Federer had won only fifteen of the set’s forty-five points. But another swerve was in store.
Federer regained his form on his serve and rediscovered his forehand, and Nadal struggled to break. The duo returned after a 71-minute delay and, despite windy conditions, held on for a tie-break.
Two unforced errors from Federer on the forehand wing gave Nadal his first championship point at 7/6. In the past month, the Spaniard had dropped just four games against Federer to win his fourth consecutive trophy at Roland Garros before clinching … Their semifinal was one more data point in their long rivalry, not a definitive showdown. Federer forged ahead 5/2 and eventually clinched the set on his third set point.The fourth set moved into an inevitable tie-break, which kept the thousands of spectators on Centre Court on the edges of their seats.
It was irresistible: old footage of the early rain on that day, and then the fade into twilight; the dramatic rallies and momentum swings.
When Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal walked onto Centre Court at Wimbledon on Friday, the sight was at once familiar and strange—strange, in part, for seeming so familiar. He took the final set, 6–4.
Federer still floats into that fluid forehand with the long extension, serves with perfect precision, and plays with invention.