A look back at the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
Are eight-time champion Roger Federer and world No 1 Rafael Nadal heading for a collision course at Wimbledon – 10 years since their epic final? Sky Sports’ Raz Mirza has been asking the legends what they think.
Many are already anticipating a Sunday final between Federer and Nadal, a decade on from their 2008 epic championship showdown widely regarded as the greatest final ever played.
“Facing Roger again will be something fantastic,” said Nadal. “But if you ask me if I prefer another one, I say yes. It’s about being smart, no?”
But what do the former stars think?
Mark Petchey (Andy Murray’s former coach)
I guess the smart money is on it. You can’t say it with any certainty because there’s still a lot of quality left in the draw to be honest. You’ve got one of John Isner or Milos Raonic to come through and you’ve got Kevin Anderson playing like he is and Novak Djokovic seems to be back to pretty much his best.
Whether Novak is capable at this event of putting it on the court against Rafa and potentially backing it up against Roger as well is another matter, but he certainly looks to me like he’s playing as well and serving as well, which I think has been the big problem for him since he’s come back.
If I’m going to pick one player out who can stop a Roger and Rafa final then I would have to say the way Novak is playing, he’s been there and done it, so he’ll be the guy.
The longer Roger and Rafa stay around, the longer they compete in finals, the better it is for men’s tennis for a while. If we could reminisce once more then it would be fantastic.
Andrew Castle (Former British No 1)
It wouldn’t kill everybody if we were. There’s a story behind every single person out there but the story behind Federer and Nadal has defined this sport for the last 15 or 20 years, particularly the 2008 final. Obviously it’s the one we all want to see again, but Nadal is always in danger because it seems like every year somebody plays out of their mind against him.
Anything can happen, but a Federer-Nadal final would be fantastic. Djokovic is the wild card for me because he’s beginning to show the same kind of fight and even anger, showing that he wants to burst through from ordinary results by his standards to where he was before.
There are a few storylines developing but Federer-Nadal’s the favourite final for most people.
It's arguably the greatest tennis rivalry when Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer step on the court
Fabrice Santoro (Former world No 17 & men’s doubles Grand Slam champion)
It would be fantastic for the crowd, fantastic for tennis, but they still have a couple more matches to win and it’s never easy to make a final of a Grand Slam tournament.
Everybody likes to receive a present and every time they play it’s a present for tennis.
Djokovic is playing great so he can be the dark horse, but let’s see because Roger has many big serves to return in the next few days. He has to return well.
For Rafa, he will come across different opponents but the way he has been playing he could make it again.
Ross Hutchins (Former two-time Grand Slam doubles quarter-finalist)
The fact they’re still in it now proves it’s a good direction for what could potentially happen but I don’t think it’s that cut and dry.
There are still some big games coming up and looking at the players, whether it be John Isner, Milos Raonic, Juan Martin del Potro and Novak Djokovic. Some big game players so I don’t think it’s a sure thing.
I thought Djokovic played tremendously as Queen’s Club and I thought he played superbly in the match against Kyle Edmund at Wimbledon.
Roger has looked sublime while Rafa has looked strong as well although I don’t think it’s guaranteed, but if it gets to that stage then it would be quite special.
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