TALENT is nothing without DESIRE

Well, I actually intended for this space to be reserved as a journal for my SEP trip .. but um since I'm free now I thought I just wanna add some stuff. heh.

Aside: I wonder who is reading this now. maybe you shld leave a comment, whoever you are, blogsurfer or friend of mine =)

it was the wimbledon finals yesterday ... i've been following the tournament for quite some time esp with my ever increasing interest in tennis ever since I came into NUS. It funny, cos I never thought much of this game when was watching the agassi sampras rivalry in the 90s. I understood the game, but it wasn't that interesting. So anyhow, I was channel surfing in March this year, when I caught the Rome final between Roger Federer (World no. 1) and Rafael Nadal (No. 2), and what a match it was ! It gripped me so much. Where Sampras-Agassi was all power serve and superb returning, Fed and Nadal was just 2 totally different contrasting styles of play. It's really a bit like Zidane vs Gattuso, where Fed is the dancer, artiste, stroking with magnificance, and Nadal is really the Spanish matador, full of sound and fury and with a mean stroke to boot. I think there cant be better matchups than 2 players with contrasting styles ... much like Zidane is to Fed and Gattuso is to Nadal. Not that Nadal is a destructive player in the Gattuso mould, but more of his determined play, totally ecclipsing any tennis player out there with his fighting spirit. I think that deserves commendable credit itself.

Still having said that, Fed is a ridiculous 55-0 against any player in the world not named Nadal this year. And his H2H record with Nadal is 2-6 as of yesterday. Why? why is the world no 1 who is dominant in all courts bar the red clay, is such a weak play against Nadal ? Can he claim to be no. 1 when the no.2 has been beating him so regularly, especially in the last 6 months? Of cos clay suits a more pia style that Nadal plays with, always going for the extra hit which Fed thinks is enough to close a point. Nadal always makes Fed play 1 more point. and 1 more. and more. and Nadal is the only one with balls enough to play vs Fed thinking he can actually beat Fed. Now, I dont know anyone who thinks otherwise. The greats have already been labelling Fed as the greatest tennis player ever (and that coming from another alltime great McEnroe).

Now I really think its in Fed's psyche that Nadal is such a nemesis the him, the anti Fed you may say. Nadal is the only one who attacks Fed's weak point (his backhand) using crazy amount of backspin using his crosscourt forehand. And of cos being a leftie is an advantage vs Fed (this is true, but too much material to cover in 1 post). Even Mats Wilander put crudely, and unprofessionally I may add, that Fed's balls shrink when playing vs Nadal. I mean, Fed has improved on clay, needed the french open to capture the elusive missing grand slam he is no holding. but on comes the spanish bull and whips the swiss master into submission in Paris. Fed really looked dispirited when Nadal kept coming back for 1 more point.

So, going into Wimbledon finals with a 0-4 record against Nadal, whats his mindset like? he must surely be thinking "wth, this spanish punk wants to beat me on MY turf?" and he must be cursing Kendrick not kicking Nadal out during the earlier rounds. Frankly I din expect Nadal to reach the finals, but there he was, even pushing aside Bagdatis along the way (who is slowly n surely becoming the 3rd player in the tennis dominating sphere. the new threesome. the new Triumvirate). To my surprise, and relief, Fed came out ablazing. His backhand has definitely improved since playing on clay. and Nadal looked like a bunch of nerves, and he was served a bagel opening set. The 2nd set was close, and I really thought that Nadal would even the score during the tiebreak. But Fed got the 2 sets, and went on to close the championship in the 4th.

Now, I must say that the game was closer than the scoreline suggested. Nadal still looked at every game capable of breaking Fed, and even broke his game in the 4th when Fed was serving for the championship. Fed's talent shone most brightly on grass, and on this day, it carried him through to his 4th straight Wimbledon title. Great job. And I can assure you, when Nadal hit his last shot wide, the look on Fed's face was more of relief of finally beaing able to beat his nemesis, than winning the 4th title. It meant so much more that he was finally able to get the voodoo off his back. and he won it brilliantly, improving on his weak point to a very formidable weapon now, that Nadal had no answer to, at least on grass.

And this sets up the next huge rivalry in tennis. Fed is 24, Nadal is 20. The past 3 years have been good to Fed, not because of his brilliance but also of the lack of quality opponents. Now the pretender has arrived. 1 grand slam each thus far this year, it only makes the coming US open a VERY sumptuous affair. Watch this space. (and dont forget Bagdatis)

Having said all this, I must concede im not a Nadal fan. his SLOW play is extremely frustrating, often using it to break opponent's rhythm. a lil bit of gamesmanship. whereas Fed plays the most beautiful tennis and strokes i've ever seen. of cos, being a spectator, i'd rather watch Fed win everygame. But I am equally grateful to Nadal posing a real threat to the Fed dominance. Because this dominance is not like the Ferrari in F1 in the early 00s, where there were no close rivals to the italian marquee. Dominance is fine if the winner is kept pushed to his limit. and thats whats happening in tennis now, all thanks to Nadal. I do hope both players keep fit for as long as possible to keep this fight goin on.

And thats why tennis is so intruiging. It as much a mental battle as it is a physical and technical exercise. Fed is more talented than Nadal for sure. Nadal is more determined than Fed for sure. And nothing is more satisfying than to watch 2 players with 2 contrasting styles fight it out. Let's see who has the edge and push within himself to bring himself to the next level, and to outplay each other. Then, he will be the true and deserving world no. 1.



Game on.

Tags
tennis Wimbledon federer nadal