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What an amazing year of tennis!

Roar Guru
9th October, 2017
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Rafael Nadal is the undisputed king of clay courts. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Roar Guru
9th October, 2017
2

Rafael Nadal’s win in the China Open continues an amazing year for the Spanish champion, and an unforgettable year for tennis.

Let’s have a look back at the big ones. The four Grand Slams…

If you were the person who predicted at the start of the year that the four Grand Slams would be split evenly between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, not many would have taken you seriously.

Federer had won only one grand slam since 2010 and Rafael Nadal hadn’t won a Grand Slam since the 2014 French Open.

This time last year Federer missed the US Open due to injury, and Nadal only made it through to the fourth round, ending a year where he didn’t reach a quarter-final in a Grand Slam. That was the first time that had happened since 2004.

What Roger Federer did by defeating Rafael Nadal in Australia was end any speculation as to who was tennis’ greatest all-time player.

Going into the final Nadal held a 23-11 head to head record over Federer, but winning the last five games of the match to win the tournament got a monkey off Federer’s back that had sat there since their first few matches, where Nadal had won six of the first seven encounters.

With the monkey back in the trees, Federer would beat Nadal twice more in 2017 and now has won the last four times they have met.

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Nadal still holds a 23-14 head to head advantage over Federer, but this stat is lopsided largely due to Nadal’s supremacy on clay (13-2).

Rafael Nadal’s 10th French Open win was one for the ages. In dropping only 35 games on his way to the title it was as comprehensive a French Open tournament win as he has had.

For someone to dominate this much on a particular surface in a great era of tennis speaks volumes for just how brilliant he is on clay.

But if Nadal was brilliant on clay, then Federer was equally so on his most preferred surface, grass. Federer didn’t drop a set on his way to his eighth Wimbledon crown.

Finally, Nadal would win his third US Open title and his 16th Grand Slam. By doing so, he would cement his status as tennis’ second greatest player of all time. Pete Sampras can no longer claim it.

Nadal has taken a clay court game and adapted it to win on hardcourts and grass. Sampras had a beautiful grass court game, but despite his best attempts to succeed on clay, he never quite made it.

Nadal’s style, anything but fluent, has resulted in injuries which have hampered his last few years.

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But to come back despite this, and succeed again, speaks volumes for his fitness and mental strength. He has proven to be a fine champion.

The two greatest players of all time, both past the age of 30 where historically tennis players have struggled, won all four Grand Slams.

Roger Federer hits a ball at the US Open.

(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Some may argue it’s a slight on the next generation coming through, that nobody has really put their hand up to take over from these two greats.

Others, however, may look at just how great these two are, and appreciate that tennis fans still get a chance to see them play. This is something that will have to end one day, much to tennis’ loss.

It’s been a brilliant year of tennis, as the golden era proves it’s not quite over yet.

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