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Anybody who loves tennis as much I do should watch today's grand slam final in Melbourne Australia starting in approximately 2 hours.
Rafael Nadal Versus Roger Federer is a dream finals that may never have happened again.
With Roger already 35 years old it's hard to say if he will ever reach a Another grand slam final, let alone one with Nadal as his opponent.
Rafael Nadal Versus Roger Federer is a dream finals that may never have happened again.
With Roger already 35 years old it's hard to say if he will ever reach a Another grand slam final, let alone one with Nadal as his opponent.
These two have arguably been the greatest opponents of modern history. Watching them tonight will be watching history in the making.
Although my heart hopes that Federer wins my common sense and my observations of Nadal throughout the open, especially playing newcomer Canadian Ranovic tells me that Nadal will probably win , but not by much.
I would not be surprised they go a full sets over 4 to 5 hours.
So get lots of snacks and drinks have some good friends around that like watching tennis, settle down to watch will probably be one of the greatest dispatches of water times.
Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal: Where the Australian Open final will be won and lost
Former British No 1 Mark Petchey tells Simon Briggs what he thinks the crucial factors will be in Saturday's Australian Open final.
Physicality
Yes, Rafael Nadal has the shorter turnaround. Nadal played his five-hour semi-final on Friday night, while Roger Federer finished his own three-hour match more than 24 hours earlier. But then Nadal’s whole approach to tennis has always been punishing, both to his opponents and himself. “Rafa has practised and played at that intensity all his life,” says Mark Petchey, the former British No 1 who is in Melbourne commentating for Eurosport.
“It’s not unusual for him. Coming into this event, he looked lighter and fitter, and at the end of Friday’s match he seemed fine. His recovery might be an unknown, but my hunch is that he’ll pull up OK.” Nadal’s strategy
It is so much easier for Nadal, because he knows what’s worked in the past. He feels comfortable in this rivalry. All he has to do is target the Federer backhand. “Rafa sticks to the 80-20 rule in this match-up,” says Petchey, “just hitting maybe one ball in five to the forehand, and that’s enough to keep Roger honest.”
Federer’s strategy
Federer does not want to get dragged into long, attritional points. At the same time, though, he cannot just come in on any ball, because Nadal passes so well off both wings, and can fire it at your shoelaces as an alternative. “The best approach shot to hit when you’re coming forward tends to be an inside-out forehand,” says Petchey, “driving Rafa wide into the tramlines on his own forehand side. It’s a misconception that Rafa’s backhand is the better side to attack, especially when you’re approaching.
“Yes, it’s a flatter shot, but at last year’s Olympics his average backhand speed was higher than his forehand speed in most of his matches.”
Federer’s key shot: Serve
The serve has to be on fire. That was how Federer beat Andy Murray in the 2015 Wimbledon semi-final, which is the last time he scored a big win over another member of the Big Four. He landed 76 per cent of first serves that day and a plaintive Murray complained that “it was frustrating because I couldn’t get a racket on a lot of the returns”. If Federer sets up points with big serves, and gets short returns, he can gather momentum and start ticking through service games quickly.
Nadal’s key shot: Forehand
During the off-season, Nadal’s new coaching assistant Carlos Moya suggested that he should try playing with more weight in the head of his racket. Lead tape was duly applied, and the impact has been dramatic. At the US Open, Nadal’s average forehand speed was 74mph and the average spin 3031rpm. In this event, the equivalent numbers are 77mph and 3273rpm.
“The forehand down the line went missing for Rafa during 2015,” says Petchey. “But the extra spin has brought it back, and that makes the court a couple of yards wider for his opponents. They can’t just cheat towards the cross-court side all the time, they have to cover the line too.”
The conditions
The Australian Open courts have been played on faster courts this year. Yet this is not necessarily an advantage for Federer, as many have assumed. “The courts help both players,” said Petchey. “Yes, Roger gets extra value on his serve, but Rafa’s ball is on to you faster, and it’s already a nightmare to deal at the best of times. The interesting thing is what tournament directors are going to do after this. Will they speed up their own courts to help Rafa and Roger out?”
The big picture
The only worry is that the final might struggle to live up to all the hype.
But this fortnight has already been a triumph for tennis. If Federer and Nadal deliver a classic, its legendary status will be sealed. “I see all these expectations of the final as a hat-tip to everything these two have given to us since 2004,” says Petchey. “There have been some golden eras of tennis. But I’ve watched every one of the Rafa-Roger matches and commentated on a lot of them. In 20 years, we’ll be looking back and saying ‘Were these guys for real?’
