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  • Federer vs. Nadal in Wimbledon final, part 3

    7/4/08 6:45 PM | Jonathan Morgan
    - For the past three years, Rafael Nadal has made a conscience effort to get better on grass, a stark contrast to the numerous claycourters that don't even bother with grass. On Sunday he will play Roger Federer for all the marbles.

    Of all the strange plots twists this Wimbledon, like Vassalo Arguello winning a grass match, Roddick and Blake losing 2nd round, Safin's resurgence, Djokovic bowing out early and a wide open semifinal spot in the 3rd quarter of the draw, at the end of the day, we are once again facing a Fed-Nadal final. People were waiting to see this match since Federer hit that smash to win Wimbledon last year over Nadal in that thrilling 5 setter.

    In fact, many people are comparing this to Borg-Mcenroe in 1980/1981, where Borg was the Federer of the time and Mcenroe is the Nadal who put a stop to the Borg streak. Borg subsequently retired later that year after a heartbreaking loss to Mcenroe in the US Open final.

    Somehow, I doubt Roger will go down that path, even if he loses.

    As for the match at hand, both guys have breezed through their draws. Federer has not dropped a set, and Nadal only lost one, in the Gulbis match where the talented young Latvian simply overpowered him and outserved the Spaniard for a set.

    This match will probably go the way many Federer Nadal finals go. Either a complete blowout or a thrilling match to the finish. I'm leaning towards the latter. Nadal's best shot to win Wimbledon is on Sunday. In 06, when he reached the finals, he was still a rookie on grass and clawed out a set vs. Federer. In 07, he played 7 straight days and was hampered by that knee in the finals. Now, in 08, Federer resuts have slipped on non-grass surfaces, Nadal is looking stellar, and he won Queens. Nadal has a 23 match winning streak going, dating back to that Ferrero loss in Rome.

    Federer, after being annihilated in that French Open final, had the good initiative to let it go and head back to his beloved grass where he is simply tailor-built for.

    There is much more riding on this match than just a Wimbledon final. If Nadal wins, it can change the pro tennis landscape. No longer will Federer be an undisputed #1, the pressure on Roger to get back on track and beat Sampras' slam record will be immense. If Federer loses here, it might signal the decline of Federer. And by decline, we mean winning mayb just 1 slam a year as compared to 3.

    Alot is riding on the match on Sunday.

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Comments

Vamos Rafa =D

RafaNadalGirl20 , 7/5/08 3:23 AM


curious, how it will be ..like RG o8 ? or longer? ;)
i wish i were there tomorrow. hope i'll manage to watch this long-expected final at least on TV..
i'll keep my fingers crossed for nadal.

INNA , 7/5/08 3:42 PM



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