Federer

[roydo]

God forbid a terrorist attack would ever happen at Wimbeldon... We'd have nobody to run our country, what would we do?

Not sure they would be allowed in, Y'know?

 

[CrustySack]

Before taking the horses and hounds out as well i suspect? or taking Winston back to Cambridge?

Whilst drinking tea out of me Maggy Thatcher mug, yeah.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

Whilst drinking tea out of me Maggy Thatcher mug, yeah.

I knew it.

 

[evilwebby]

how the hell did Andy Murray become a sir?

think the Queen might have had something to do with it.

 

[evilwebby]

I know what you are saying. Still - If you want to give Fed grass, Rafael clay and use hardcourt as the tiebreaker then Nadal is up 9-8 (this looks closer, but 5 of Nadal's hardcourt losses are on indoor courts meaning that on what i think is the most neutral surface, outdoor hardcourts, that Nadal leads 8-3).

2004 - 2008 Nadal 12-6
2009 - 2013 Nadal 10-4
2014 - 2017 Fed 2-1

Look Federer is amazing (and so is Rafael). It is unusual though to see someone acclaimed as a GOAT when they compare unfavorably in a head to head with their greatest rival, especially when their is an argument to be made that the rival is himself 2nd on the GOAT list.

What i do know is that when they were at their peak, playing each other, I have never seen the sport played better. Both of them can do things with the ball that no other player has ever been able to do (many times even what no other player would have even thought of doing).

Celebrating them both and appreciating what we have seen seems to be the best path.

Cheers - nice to talk tennis.

I don't dispute that in H2H Nadal has had the edge over him, but in a way I think that only elevates both of them to absolute legendary status. Without Nadal, Fed would have 25+ slams and people would say that the Men's game lacked depth - a criticism that I think is justified in the Women's game, and by the same token without Fed then Nadal's slam haul would likely be out in front, but you would get criticisms that the game isn't anything like it used to be and people would always question how Nadal would cope against the all-court and grass court greats of other era.

GOAT is always subjective - people can always get stronger and faster as training and technology evolve, and we have never seen a tougher baseliner than Nadal (and I would argue Djok too) - but I have never seen anyone play the game like Federer - his variety of shots delivered with a grace and elegance that I would be doubtful we will ever see the likes of again, is what in my mind makes gives him this accolade.

 

[Hogwild]

I don't dispute that in H2H Nadal has had the edge over him, but in a way I think that only elevates both of them to absolute legendary status. Without Nadal, Fed would have 25+ slams and people would say that the Men's game lacked depth - a criticism that I think is justified in the Women's game, and by the same token without Fed then Nadal's slam haul would likely be out in front, but you would get criticisms that the game isn't anything like it used to be and people would always question how Nadal would cope against the all-court and grass court greats of other era.

GOAT is always subjective - people can always get stronger and faster as training and technology evolve, and we have never seen a tougher baseliner than Nadal (and I would argue Djok too) - but I have never seen anyone play the game like Federer - his variety of shots delivered with a grace and elegance that I would be doubtful we will ever see the likes of again, is what in my mind makes gives him this accolade.

Fair points. I think that if you were to create the "tennis manual" perfect player the result would be Djokovic. His game is textbook, each stroke perfectly repeatable with next to no room for technical error. His strokes just don't breakdown.

Federer and Nadal both have games that are unteachable - each in their own way are pure art. You can't teach the way they play to the masses. We have never seen someone execute the way that Federer does, not on one shot - but in every aspect of his game. We have never seen anyone play the game the way Nadal does period. One is pure grace and the other is raw strength - both are beautiful to behold.

 

[Tramps_mate]

I know the top two went out, but deserves a thread for his achievement at 35, a beautiful man, great head of hair, one if the greatest sportsmen ever

But he cheated. You don't take a rest break half way through a marathon!

 

[Walken]

But he cheated. You don't take a rest break half way through a marathon!

nadals been cheating through most of his career, the chimp faced roid head

 

[Frank Gallagher]

nadals been cheating through most of his career, the chimp faced roid head

nadal is defo one of dr fuentes customers. (i hope the true findings of whose bloodbags were in the dr's safe come out soon)

EPO would work the same for tennis players, who often play 2-3 hour gruelling matches , as it would for cyclists.

the boost in stamina and endurance came at nadal peak, around the same time as armstrong was dominating.

his demise also coincided with armstrongs, nadal was due to 'injury'

he never looked the same player till recently. wonder if he is back at it. hmmmmm

 

[Dylan]

But he cheated. You don't take a rest break half way through a marathon!

Nope, he played the game within the allowed rules.

 

[evilwebby]

The head to head record with Nadal is skewed with Federer being five years his senior (a fair few of Nadal's victories came when Federer was over the age of 30), and the dominance of Nadal on clay largely due to him being exposed to it from such a young age. If you take clay away they're much closer. The majority of Nadal's slams came on that particular surface.

also, Nadal has a natural advantage as a southpaw. It helps him on the key big points from the ad court. Don't know the stats but Federer's break-point conversion % against Nadal is likely appalling. In so many of his matches he's had break points that he hasn't managed to convert. Not taking anything away from Nadal though, he is fantastic mentally to play the big points so well.