With the dawning from the 2011 tennis season, comes the chance for several issues. Rafael Nadal has the chance to finally set himself aside from rival Roger Federer, by pulling off a win at the season opening Grand Slam in the Australian Open. For years, despite Nadal's personal lofty achievements, whether justly or unjustly, Nadal happens to be mentioned in the context of Roger Federer. To the Swiss credit, he does have 16 Grand Slam titles, several difficult to overshadow. But Nadal, who himself has compiled 9 slams of their own, and completed a career golden slam at age 24 (a notoriety which Federer is still searching for), stands on the verge of the truly historic accomplishment.
Nadal has the chance to become the very first male tennis player ever to win four consecutive Grand Slam Singles titles on four distinct surfaces. Andre Agassi fell brief with a single match from Roland Garros 1999 towards the Australian Open 2000, losing only the Wimbledon Final. Much more lately Roger Federer fell just short of a calendar Slam in 2006 and 2007, losing in france they Open Final on each occasions. Whilst Rod Laver earned the initial distinction of winning two calendar slams, three from the 4 Majors had been played on grass and also the other on clay.
Part of the exceptional nature of the modern feat would be the truth that now two of the four Majors are played on challenging courts, a surface which is a lot more grueling on the body. Indeed, it requires a very unique player and a extremely special mental outlook to complete such a feat. A second Australian Open title would mark Nadal's third hard court Grand Slam Singles title, relegating claims of his as being a mere clay court specialist to the realm of stupidity. It would also put him in a context of his personal, within the realm of accomplishment not distributed to Roger Federer. Nadal would stand by himself, and force the public to accept that we're, and also have been given that 2008 residing in the Nadal Era. Without a doubt Roger Federer will enter the Australian Open with guns blazing, feeling about a confident as he can these days. Federer did indeed win the pair's most recent official ATP encounter, a terrific three set win at the Planet Tour Finals in London. Strictly by the numbers, Federer was the hottest player on tour from following Wimbledon until the close of the season. Despite those stats, Roger would almost certainly trade his sterling match record, as well as his WTF Title for a coveted U.S. Open trophy, a bit of hardware that went to his rival Nadal. As Federer enters the twilight of his career, he's still in a position to discover motivation that most Champions begin to lack at this stage of their careers. That motivation originates from Rafael Nadal. Federer wants to beat him so badly he can taste it. Understanding full well that Nadal is and it has been playing at a level above everybody else on the tour for about a year now, the Swiss demonstrated his will to enhance by hiring former Pete Sampras coach, Paul Annacone. So far the results have been pretty excellent by Federer's lofty standards, wonderful by typical standards. But as Annacone and Federer know, ultimately the failure or success of this partnership is going to be solely based on Federer's winning Grand Slams.
Can Annacone affect enough alternation in Roger's game to make him present a stiffer challenge towards the world's finest player? The jury remains out. One positive sign for Federer is the fact that he was able to defeat Nadal in London. It was a 3 set match, and winning a decisive set against a person who enjoys a distinct mental benefit is really a giant step toward evening the rivalry. But a low bouncing-indoor court, in a best of three set-formats is really a far cry from beating Nadal inside a grueling very best of five set Grand Slam Final atmosphere. Whilst Federer's return of serve appears to be better than it ever has been, Nadal's serve seems to be greater than it ever continues to be.
Although Robin Soderling is going to be a fashionable upset choose, I don't view it happening. To me, Soderling has shown his complete hand. He threw out the kitchen sink to beat Roger Federer at Roland Garros this past year, and had a likelihood to assert himself like a Grand Slam contender by beating the person he'd dethroned the prior year, within the Final. Beating Federer and Nadal in the exact same event would have taken Soderling's confidence to the next level, and produced him a much more harmful player. He played his heart in the Final of Roland Garros, and was merely beaten by Nadal, who was merely a far better player. He'd a legitimate shot at revenge at Wimbledon a few weeks later along with the truth was confirmed once again. Finally in the U.S. Open QF a lopsided loss to Federer, it became even more apparent. Robin Soderling is a top ten player, but not a guy having a complete sufficient game to win a Grand Slam in this day and age. Perhaps five or six years ago he could have snuck a couple of in, but not now. The win's over Federer and Nadal over the past two years appear a lot more like an anomaly compared to rule. His lack of selection and movement will stall him.
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