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November 26, 2007
Federer, Nadal give game quite the 1-2 punch
By Tom Tebbutt, The Globe and Mail
As
the tennis season extends into its 12th month with the Davis Cup final
next weekend - Russia against the United States in Portland, Ore. - the
rest of the year begins to recede into memory.
It is worth noting that the men's game has, in Roger Federer and
Rafael Nadal, probably the most respected and personable world Nos. 1
and 2 combination in history.
On an American tennis website last week, Patrick McEnroe had kind
words for Federer the man. "I was going down to interview him (for
ESPN) after he won Cincinnati this summer, which was his 50th career
title. And he said, 'you know I ball-boyed for you once.' Roger Federer
says this to me! That sort of tells you about what kind of guy he is."
Before he did an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais two
weeks ago during the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai, Nadal was kicking
around a soccer ball with Federer after Federer had won his semi-final.
The interviewer wrote, " 'You're better than Maradona,' Federer said to
Nadal. Then the world No. 2 said hello to his Chinese driver, calling
him by his name, and gave us an interview."
Nadal told El Pais about his physical problems, related more to his
feet than the tendinitis in both his knees, emphasizing he was not
making excuses.
The troubles date back to 2004 in Estoril, Portugal, early in the
clay-court season. His left ankle and foot bothered him, but he played
old rival Richard Gasquet because he did not want to appear to be
ducking him.
He won the match, but was out until July (missing the French Open) with a stress fracture.
Similarly in 2005, at the fall indoor event in Madrid, the foot
hurt, but he played in front of his compatriots, winning the title,
then was not able to play until February of 2006, a period during which
doctors informed him his career might be in jeopardy.
He told El Pais he has not been able to incorporate running into his
training since 2005 and has paid the price in terms of endurance. He
also said he sometimes has problems pushing off on the foot.
That helps explain lopsided - 6-1, 6-2 and 6-4, 6-0 - end-of-season losses to David Nalbandian in Madrid and Paris.
"If only I could be like I was physically in 2005," Nadal lamented, "now that I'm playing so much better."
He also revealed he cried in the locker room after his toughest loss
of the year - in five sets to Federer in the Wimbledon final.
As for Federer, his most disappointing defeat was to Nadal in the
French Open final. Like Nadal, he suffered losses to Nalbandian in
Madrid and Paris - over a three-week stretch (including winning at home
in Basle, Switzerland) when he would have had to play 15 matches in 20
days to win all three events.
It was ridiculous for the sport's most valuable property to be
overplaying at the burned-out end of the season. But he rebounded to
win the Masters Cup.
Last week, Federer played three exhibitions in Asia with Pete
Sampras, winning the first two and losing the third - maybe a
gentlemanly gesture by a weary champion.
In Korea before the first match, he was pictured with a bouquet of
flowers. The caption read "Roger Federer is in a jovial mood as he
arrives in Seoul."
Federer, 26, is almost preternaturally good-natured.
His ease may be partly attributable to his seven-year relationship
with former player Mirka Vavrinec, 29. "One of the most important
things is to wake up in the morning and see her next to me in bed," he
told the Spanish news service EPE. "It's a very special feeling,
knowing she's there. She takes care of me and does what's best for me."
In John McEnroe's book Serious, he described the burden of
being No. 1. "It felt alienating to have to go in for the kill at each
and every tournament. The fact is that the moment I reached the top,
everything started spiralling slowly but surely downward."
Federer is more comfortable with his station in life.
Proof is that today he begins his 200th week in a row at No. 1 in
the rankings. McEnroe managed a total of 170, but never, of course,
with anything near Federer's aplomb.
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