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By Chris Oddo/ Thursday, January 23, 2014
Rivalry renewed. Message Sent. Rafael Nadal sets a
blistering path for his 14th career Grand Slam title by
beating Federer in Straight sets.
Photo Source: Corleve
The 33rd edition of tennis’ most enduring rivalry started
as many of Roger Federer and Rafael
Nadal’s greatest matches have. With an air of
electricity, a tinge of hope and some death defying rallies.
But by the conclusion of Nadal’s 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-3 victory over
Federer, the plug was pulled, the hope was gone and the rallies
had gone astray.
Sampras Reflects on 20th
Anniversary of First Australian Open Title
Such is life for 17-time Grand Slam champion Federer when it
comes to facing the one of the most relentless fighters that
the game has ever seen. Having lost six of their last seven
matches, and 23 of 33 overall, he’s been there done that, and
the cold hard truth is that Nadal is just too much of a beast
for a 32-year-old Federer to deal with at this phase of their
rivalry.
That much was proven on Friday night in Melbourne.
But the all-time Grand Slam title leader proved that he has
plenty of magic left in him on this night. The Swiss maestro
brought his A -game to the court for his record 34th career
Grand Slam semifinal, taking aggressive runs at Nadal in the
early going, and hammering home his serve with enough pop and
precision to keep the Spaniard off balance. Nadal would have
his chances early, earning three break points in the set, but
Federer would swat them all aside confidently to take it to a
tiebreaker.
In that first-set tiebreaker the physicality of Nadal began to
take over as he ran Federer to and fro, hitting heavy topspin
drives that forced Federer to cover a lot of court and supply
his own power when he got to the ball.
It eventually took its tool as Federer missed a net-high volley
at 2-1 to give Rafa a boost in the tiebreaker. From there the
Spaniard muscled his way to a 5-1 lead and held on to secure
the set.
“To play with Roger always is a special feeling,” Nadal
reminisced. “We played really tough rallies at the end of the
first set. I think I resisted very well.”
Federer’s resistance, meanwhile, was already beginning to wane
.
Nadal’s service games went faster in the second set, and
Federer’s service games went longer. Nadal’s intensity
increased and Federer’s error count, which reached 50 by the
end of the night, steadily rose.
Federer saved three break points in the fourth game to level at
2-2, but Nadal got to him in his next service game, unleashing
on an inside-out forehand winner to claim his first break of
the evening and a 4-2 lead.
Nadal took over from there, staying simple and solid in the
rallies, content to force Federer to make his move.
With a two sets to love lead, it appeared that the
much-publicized and painful-looking blister on Nadal’s left
hand was going to be the only thing to challenge him down the
stretch. But not even that could temper Nadal’s frothing,
venomous display of power tennis.
“Too much talk about the blister,” Nadal said after the match,
which marked his 19th victory in a Grand Slam semifinal against
only three losses. “The blister is okay.”
He did seek aid from the trainer after the first game of the
second set, but he didn’t appear to be bothered by it again.
After exchanging breaks with Federer early in the third,
Nadal’s grinding game continued to reap dividends.
He would win the final three games of the match, despite
failing on his first match point at 3-5 down, and close the
victory in a crisp two hours and twenty-four minutes.
The relatively struggle-free affair could be the perfect tonic
for Nadal, who now stands just one victory from tying American
Pete Sampras on the all-time Grand Slam title
list. The Spaniard needed a tough challenge, and he got that in
he first set and a half. He also needed a short night so that
his blister, which he has said makes his serve difficult to
hit, could heal.
He got that, too.
Nadal will head into Sunday’s Australian Open final with
first-time finalist Stan Wawrinka with plenty of confidence and
a blistered left hand that could have been a lot worse.
Mission accomplished.
As for Federer, who actually acquitted himself quite nicely
against Nadal and had only dropped serve once through two-plus
sets, the effort was nothing to be ashamed of.
When Nadal was a young player just winning his first Grand Slam
titles on tour, it worked in Federer’s favor to be five years
older than the Spaniard. Now that Nadal is in peak fitness and
has never been more passionate about padding his legacy, being
five years older than Nadal makes victories of this stature
nearly impossible.
The rivalry, for Nadal, takes a back seat to the quest. The
Spaniard is in take-no-prisoner mode as he aims for historic
milestones at each Slam he plays. Whether it be Federer or any
other challenger, Nadal is a near impossible man to beat right
now.
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