[lazybear]

I think all 3 are great rivalries. The Nadal-Federer matches are usually not the highest of quality, because of the well known matchup issue. Roger obviously can't play his best (credit to Nadal), but even the spaniard goes away from his basic gamestyle against Roger. Still, that rivalry has drama, suspense, and many meetings in slam finals, so it's obviously a great rivalry.

The Federer-Djokovic rivalry is a little better in quality imo, because of the matchups, but the best rivalry in terms of tennis, is the Nadal-Djokovic one. Those 2 can make the other guy to play rallies like nobody else can make them to, and i'm not necessarily talking about quality here, but rather game style. Those 2 players' style combined results in some truly epic rallies, that i honestly never seen in this sport. It's great to watch to be honest.

[Thirty All]

Originally Posted by GSMnadal

Fedal is a joke, because we all know who's going to win? (who won their last slow hardcourt meeting?) YET, Nadal-Djokovic was ok, but only last year when Djokovic went 7-0, and not before?

Let Federer-Djokovic have some epic slam finals, then we can talk. Rafole have USO 10,11 and AO 12, which were all classics. Fedal have Wimbledon 07,08, AO 09 and even some RG were exciting.

You're just another Rafael Nadal hater.

Your generalization is another nadal fan classic.

[GSMnadal]

Originally Posted by Thirty All

Your generalization is another nadal fan classic.

I just pointed out your reasoning, and that it had nothing to do with tennis, but just with hating on a player.

'I don't like Fedal, because Nadal always beats Roger' (it's 18-10 btw, quite a lot of wins for the lesser player in a rivalry)
'I don't like Rafole, because Rafa always beats Nole, oh no wait, last year it was all of a sudden cool, when Djokovic beat Nadal'
'Fedovic is awesome, because it's a rivalry my favourite can win.'

Don't say you don't like one rivalry because it's too one sided, and then say the other one only became nice when the guy you didn't like ended up at the wrong end of an even more one sided rivalry.

[Looner]

Originally Posted by durrrr

USO10 a classic?

GSMNadal and his delusions .

[rickcastle]

Federer-Djokovic is certainly the most unpredictable nowadays. From Djokovic owning Federer on clay to Federer getting his revenge on Wimbledon, following it up with a solid straight sets victory on hard with a bagel on top. Definitely one to watch for if they meet again.

Most importantly, I think both players believe they can win when it comes to this matchup on any surface. With Federer, I just don't see any self belief when it comes to playing Nadal on clay, and to some extent even on outdoor hard.

[Johnbert]

greatest rivalry is fed-nadal for obvious reasons. they had so many classic matches and this since 8 years.

fed-djokovic is also great, cause it's almost unpredictable who will win and they also had some epic matches (last 2 uso semis, fo semi 2011).

i have to say i dont like the nadal-djokovic rivalvry at all, 'cause they both grind it out most of the time. sure they had some great matches, but still...

[manadrainer]

Originally Posted by GSMnadal

Fedal is a joke, because we all know who's going to win? (who won their last slow hardcourt meeting?) YET, Nadal-Djokovic was ok, but only last year when Djokovic went 7-0, and not before?

Let Federer-Djokovic have some epic slam finals, then we can talk. Rafole have USO 10,11 and AO 12, which were all classics. Fedal have Wimbledon 07,08, AO 09 and even some RG were exciting.

You're just another Rafael Nadal hater.

Tio Toni didn't allow them in the past, doubt he'll allow them in the future.

[Orka_n]

Originally Posted by rickcastle

Most importantly, I think both players believe they can win when it comes to this matchup on any surface. With Federer, I just don't see any self belief when it comes to playing Nadal on clay, and to some extent even on outdoor hard.

Very good point.

[Looner]

Originally Posted by rickcastle

Most importantly, I think both players believe they can win when it comes to this matchup on any surface. With Federer, I just don't see any self belief when it comes to playing Nadal on clay, and to some extent even on outdoor hard.

Well, how can Federer maintain any sort of belief in beating Nadal when Nadal bails out in the second half of the season when Fed dominates. The same is also true when Fed plays well and Nadal less well - he just can't get to play Fed as he gets beaten by whole load of better HCs than him on tour.

[rickcastle]

Originally Posted by Looner

Well, how can Federer maintain any sort of belief in beating Nadal when Nadal bails out in the second half of the season when Fed dominates. The same is also true when Fed plays well and Nadal less well - he just can't get to play Fed as he gets beaten by whole load of better HCs than him on tour.

That's neither here nor there though, the fact is Federer-Nadal rivalry for me has become unexciting as a Federer fan to watch because of the way Federer has folded mentally against Nadal. I agree that it is a bit unfair that Federer did not have a lot of chances to "even the score" so to speak when he was at his prime because Nadal wasn't showing up on USO finals until recently but it is what it is. For the reason alone that both Federer and Djokovic have the self belief that they can beat the other player on their best day at any surface makes this rivalry more exciting IMO. It's not just Federer though, watching Nadal vs. anybody on clay is pretty much NID and makes for a pretty boring rivalry.

[GSMnadal]

Originally Posted by rickcastle

That's neither here nor there though, the fact is Federer-Nadal rivalry for me has become unexciting as a Federer fan to watch because of the way Federer has folded mentally against Nadal. I agree that it is a bit unfair that Federer did not have a lot of chances to "even the score" so to speak when he was at his prime because Nadal wasn't showing up on USO finals until recently but it is what it is. For the reason alone that both Federer and Djokovic have the self belief that they can beat the other player on their best day at any surface makes this rivalry more exciting IMO. It's not just Federer though, watching Nadal vs. anybody on clay is pretty much NID and makes for a pretty boring rivalry.

Federer dodged just as many USO finals as Nadal

2010/2011 he really should've made them.

What could we have expected from a young Nadal? To reach them in 2005 and 2006? No way, he just became a force on clay, only starting to learn how te be great on grass. Fast hardcourt would have to take longer. 07,08 and 09 remain. 2007 is still very early in his career for him to reach a slam final on his worst surface, but losing to Ferrer is a bad sign. I'll count it, just. Only one I can really see as a failure is losing to Murray in 08, 09 had the injury comeback and the injury during the tournament.

Time to stop this madness about 'Nadal dodging Federer at the USO'. Federer did just as much, if not more of the dodging. But that's what you get when one guy is older and primes don't overlap. Get over it.

[duarte_a]

Originally Posted by GSMnadal

Time to stop this madness about 'Nadal dodging Federer at the USO'. Federer did just as much, if not more of the dodging. But that's what you get when one guy is older and primes don't overlap. Get over it.

Right.... That's why half of their meetings are on clay when Roger only plays 3/4 tournaments on clay and only 1/4 slams is on clay and 3/9 masters 1000 are on clay.

[GSMnadal]

Originally Posted by duarte_a

Right.... That's why half of their meetings are on clay when Roger only plays 3/4 tournaments on clay and only 1/4 slams is on clay and 3/9 masters 1000 are on clay.

Didn't realize what I said about the USO also was also relevant for the masters stats. Thanks for that insight.

[Looner]

Originally Posted by GSMnadal

Didn't realize what I said about the USO also was also relevant for the masters stats. Thanks for that insight.

Take point people. The great GSMTardal thinks anything outside of Slams does not count.

[tripwires]

Originally Posted by Looner

Take point people. The great GSMTardal thinks anything outside of Slams does not count.

He was just talking about the USO, though.