As a fan of Nadal, I never thought that he would catch Fed. What a feat.
That's weird! He looked destined to catch on in a couple of years right after AO09, and then again when he returned on the scene in 2010. I thought he would catch up with Federer around 2014/15. Then Novak got too good, but even after 2011, I thought Rafa would get there pretty soon. I mean, for a while in his late twenties early thirties, Roger didn't look like adding more majors
Roger obviously hasn't been counted out too many times in his career, but he has been a couple times and I always knew better than to question if Fed was done. Then Nole put it all together and became a real difficult match-up for Nadal outside of clay. He upped his game in the USO and that has been the difference. Who knows when he slows down on clay. He may pass Fed yet, but again, that guy has more lives than Jason Vorhees.
Clay feat?As a fan of Nadal, I never thought that he would catch Fed. What a feat.
How about now though? The only major I can imagine him winning if everything comes together almost miraculously for him is Wimbledon. No jet lag, relatively effortless grass court game (i.e. less running and grinding), less time needed for regeneration which gets more and more tricky deeper in the tournament as harder and longer matches against more advanced opponents start piling up, especially in one's older age... And he will be, crazy as it reads, 40 next year.
Next Wimbledon at best.
Do we HAVE to disagree on EVERYTHING?Rafa GOAT.
Short term: Usain Bolt over a four year period. Long term: no athlete in this galaxy is close to Rafa.name me a more dominant athlete on a particular event
Bolt from 2008-2012/13 ish at the 100m was simply not human with 2009 Berlin and 2012 London being the peak of his powers.Short term: Usain Bolt over a four year period. Long term: no athlete in this galaxy is close to Rafa.
Short term: Usain Bolt over a four year period. Long term: no athlete in this galaxy is close to Rafa.