Rafael Nadal: 'Roger Federer and me have been here for...'

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic perhaps for the first time in their careers are capturing the attention of the media and professionals for events that do not concern their performance on a tennis court. For weeks now the controversy has raged in Melbourne and recently the heavy rain of media jabs seems to have hit the two champions, currently the first and second player in the world. The controversial rumors that speak of a different quarantine condition between the Adelaide bubble and that of the Australian Open headquarters have not spared accusations and some resentment among the players, however the hope is that in the coming days the situation will somehow to cool down and allow tennis players to prepare themselves as best they can for the next matches and, specifically, for the first slam of the season. A tournament that probably does not see Rafa as a favorite, but which could represent a very interesting opportunity for the Spaniard in a hypothetical race to the top of the world rankings. A possibility that became more viable after the confirmation of the Majorcan's presence in Rotterdam after 12 years of absence. Rafael Nadal is presently in quarantine in Adelaide for the Australian Summer. In an interview with Rafa, the interviewer quoted Roger Federer from the time he had said that it was great to have this competition because Nadal and he pushed each other to more and more heights.

Rafael Nadal on his rivalry with Roger Federer

The Spaniard couldn’t disagree and said, “It’s true. We have been here for such a very long time. Since 2005 we are competing.” However, nothing ever beats the feeling of just being part of the sport for Rafa. He loves competing, and he will continue to do so at the upcoming Australian Open 2021. He said, “I am proud and happy to be a part of this moment of our history of our sport.” As tournament seedings are based on rankings, with the top two seeds placed on opposite sides of the draw, 25 of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer's 40 matches have been in tournament finals, including an all-time record nine Grand Slam finals and 12 ATP Tour Masters 1000 finals. Another ten have been semifinals, two have been quarterfinals, with only three taking place before the last-8 stage. In 33 out of 40 matches between Nadal and Federer, the winner of the first set won the match. From 2006 to 2008, they played in every French Open and Wimbledon final. Their 2008 Wimbledon final was lauded as the greatest match ever by many long-time tennis analysts. Their 2017 Australian Open final was one of the more highly anticipated major finals in tennis history, in part due to the relevance within popular discussions on their placement in greatest of all time listings, coupled with that fact that they were both already in their 30s, which is usually when most male players are on the decline or have already retired. Other matches considered particularly notable include the 2006 Italian Open final, 2007 Wimbledon final, and 2009 Australian Open final, with each match going to five sets.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3okXfZm