Current world number two tennis pro Rafael Nadal has 10 Slams and a string of accomplishments most players would kill for, but even he has his weaknesses. That includes a new nemesis in the recently ascended world number one, Novak Djokovic. “He’s in my head,” Nadal said recently. “I know it, you know it, he knows it.” While his string of five losses against Djoko has made that pretty clear to everyone, it’s not necessarily the whole story. That’s where Roger Federer comes in.
Rafael is a man who, at least on the courts, likes a certain routine. Anyone who’s watched him for even a few matches realizes that Rafa’s famed shorts-pulling is part of a pattern the player repeats before every point. Every point. There’s even an accompanying foot pattern when he’s waiting for his opponent to serve. Don’t forget the exactly arranged water bottles, and a host of other little things that have to be just right. At the Cincinnati tournament this year, a strong wind blew over a towel and some of Rafa’s belongings during a game. It clearly took a concerted effort on the Spaniard’s part not to run from his place on the court to rearrange everything the way it had been. Luckily an astute ball person put it back to order quickly.
For someone who relies so heavily on a compulsively consistent routine, it’s not surprising that he’d get used to a pattern of winning matches. Many players work on momentum, and Rafael adds to that a dependency on everything being exactly how and where he wants it. For a ridiculously long time, that meant sharing finals and trading the number one and two spots with his idol, Roger Federer. From February 2004 until June of 2011, no other man held the world number one position.
Look at photos of the awards ceremonies for those finals, and you’ll see a delighted Rafa, whether he’s winner or runner-up. Excepting his emotional response at the Australian Open in 2009, Federer generally seems just as pleased to be on the big stage with his friend and rival Nadal. The two are known for changing the game of tennis, keeping their fierce competitiveness on the court and being respectful and amicable off it. They enjoy playing one another, and fans tune in in record numbers when skill and luck of the draws bring them together in the finals.
When you note Rafael Nadal’s dependence on familiarity and patterns, and see how much he’s enjoyed his run with Federer, it’s easy to see that a shake-up in that dynamic could affect his play. Tennis is a volatile sport, and it’s not a rare event for a top-ranked player to go out of a tournament early, or for a favored veteran to get shocked into a loss by a feisty teenager. Rafa was mentally prepared for a loss or two against Djokovic, but when the losses started to accumulate, he realized he was getting locked into a very unfortunate pattern.
When Roger finally knocked Djokovic out of his winning streak at the French Open, Nadal was thrilled to find himself back in familiar territory. He had won his beloved clay final once more, and there was Roger next to him as always. But then a few weeks later he was at Wimbledon, irritated by press questions about his “decline,” pressure to play in the Davis Cup, and nursing a foot injury. Though he battled his way through to the final, a crucial moment happened in the quarterfinals.
Nadal was captured by cameras during a break in his own match, as he watched the board for the scores of the other matches with intensity. He glanced down for a moment, only to do a whiplash look as the crowd reacted to the stunning loss of Federer (after leading his quarters match with Tsonga by two sets.) Rafa tried not to react to the news, but it was clear he was as surprised as everyone else.
At the awards ceremony for Wimbledon, after Djokovic’s win, Nadal looked more than disappointed–he looked a little stunned and confused. He seemed to be wondering why he wasn’t holding the trophy, and why Federer wasn’t standing next to him.
There are many factors contributing to Rafa’s recent fall from tireless, relentlessly brutal dominator to a player with flashes of athletic greatness mixed in with solid play and some uncharacteristic errors. One of the most major is his foot injury, which is part of a larger chronic condition. Second is the problem with getting beat by the same player over and over. Rafa needs to change his game plan and his mind set, as he will tell you.
But the clincher may have been that semifinal loss by Federer. Rafael has been clear from day one that he considers Roger the best player ever, and that he aspires to be at least half as good as his hero. At a time when Rafa was vulnerable, suffering from a dip in his own skills, facing harsh critiques from the press, he watched the mighty Fed go out in the quarters on his “home” court. Again. When you’re questioning your own ability to win, it’s never helpful to see the guy you consider way better than you faltering in his game. Rafa may have suddenly felt that an inevitable retirement from tennis might be closer than he’d originally thought.
As the months have progressed, both Nadal and Federer have been working on getting their groove back. At the Cincinnati Open, they both exited in the quarterfinals, which was an improvement over Rafa’s shocking second round loss at the Rogers Cup. Now, at the US Open, both players have been tweaking their game. They’ve been getting their rhythm and form into shape, gearing up to possibly take on the number one Nole. Federer had a dazzling match against Juan Monaco, and it will be interesting to see how his play might affect Nadal’s.
Once again there’s a chance for a Federer/Nadal final, and we know Rafa will be fine with a repeat performance–after all, his record against Fed is strongly in his favor. On the other side of the net, Roger will be wondering how he can break that long-held pattern.
Check out: 3-Way Rivalry: Are Djokovic, Federer and Nadal the Rock-Paper-Scissors of Tennis?
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