TennisToday

Roger Federer Picks Up Rafael Nadal at the Zurich Airport for their Exo Match Today

Love these photos. I wish their fans got on as well as they do.

Roger Federer is on His Way to Zurich Exo Y'all

Roger Federer updated his Facebook page today...

On my way in the car to the airport to fly to Switzerland for the exhibition.

Just got this picture from the event team in Zurich...

Should be a great match with Rafa!

*****

These two matches this week ought to be mighty interesting...

So can't wait!!!

Roger Federer Practices for Rafa Nadal Exos Next Week

Roger took to his Facebook page today with this photo - captioned:

Just finishing one of my practices today...

Getting ready for the exos next Tues & Wed vs Rafa in Zurich and Madrid.

Exos are usually lighter affairs during the off-season but...

I have a feeling the fans are in for a real high-level treat with these tho.

What with the Aussie Open just around the corner... Stay tuned.

Roger Federer Congratulated by the Nadal's After Sunday's Win at the World Tour Final in London

Class. All the way around.

If we take nothing else away from the great Rafa/Roger rivalry...

We know that they were both raised right.

Thanks Jon Wertheim for tweeting this.

Roger Federer Wins ATP World Tour Finals in London

ATP World Tour Finals

2 Roger Federer d 1 Rafael Nadal - 63 36 61

Roger joins Ivan Lendl & Pete Sampras as the only 5-time WTF champions.

Federer today served Rafa out wide quite well & had his backhand primed.

It looked as tho we were set for a doozy of a final set - Fed wasn't having it!

During this tourney Roger beat #'s 1 Rafa, 3 Novak, 4 Robin & 5 Andy M.

He made a very clear statement with his racket: I'm ain't finished bitches.

Roger finishes the year with 5 titles - 2nd only to Rafa's 7.

And once again Rafa & Roger gobbled up all the big titles this year.

Roger will finish the year at #2 - a good distance behind #1 Rafa.

The great Rafa/Roger rivalry now stands at 14/8 in Rafa's favor.

Roger has now won 5 or more titles at 4 tourneys: USO, W, WTF & Halle.

The season is officially over for them but they will play 2 exo's in December.

For each other's charities - one match in Basel and other in Madrid.

Unlike their rabid fans - it's nice to see that they like & respect each other.

Well, done boys. Thanks for a fun year.

Photos: Getty Images

Rafael Nadal VS Roger Federer in Dream Final at ATP World Tour Finals in London

#22

ATP World Tour Finals - Final Preview

1 Rafael Nadal vs 2 Roger Federer - H2H: 14-7

This is the 22nd meeting of the greatest rivalry in men's tennis history.

Oddly enough it's just their 2nd face-off in 2010 - but fitting none-the-less.

Trivia: The last time the top 2 played the final was '86, Lendl d Becker.

Rafa is playing his 1st WTF final - and 9th final of the year: 7-1.

Rafa is looking to fill in the last real empty spot on his resume.

This is Roger's 6th WTF final. He is a 4-time champ: '03, '04, '06 & '07.

Roger's looking to win this title in 3 different cities, w/ Houston & Shanghai.

Let's break the H2H down a bit further:

In finals: 12-5/Rafa.

On hard courts: 3-3/even steven.

At WTF's: 2-0/Roger.

The last time they played was a win by Rafa at Madrid on clay, 64 64.

Roger has won his matches this week with a much greater ease...

Rafa has gotten out of 2 of his 4 matches playing on a knife's edge.

Which legend prevails tomorrow?

Dunno, but I sure wish this was gonna be an old-school 5-setter...

Photos: Rafa - Getty Images, Roger - AP

Semifinals Set at ATP World Tour Finals in London

Any way you slice it - the next 3 matches are all dream match-ups.

Thanks guys.

ATP World Tour Finals - Semifinal Preview

1 Rafael Nadal vs 5 Andy Murray - H2H: 8-4

They've played 3 times this year: 2-1/AM. Andy won the last one in Toronto.

On hard courts they have an even H2H of 4-4.

This will be their 1st ever meeting at the World Tour Finals.

Rafa/Roger final: Can Andy stop a 1st ever meeting at the WTF's?

***

2 Roger Federer vs 3 Novak Djokovic - H2H: 12-6

They've played 4 times this year: 3-1/RF. Roger has won the last 2.

On hard courts Roger has a 2-to-1 H2H of 10-5.

This will be their 1st ever meeting at the World Tour Finals.

Rafa/Roger final: Can Novak keep it from happening? He did at USO.

Photos: Getty Images

Rafael Nadal Wins 3rd Match at ATP World Tour Finals in London

ATP World Tour Finals - Group A Round Robin

1 Rafael Nadal d 6 Tomas Berdych - 76(3) 61

Rafa's undefeated in Group A & will face Andy Murray in the Sf's tomorrow.

He advances to the WTF Sf's for the 3rd time: 0-2.

The 1st set today was an intense and highly entertinaing lock-of-horns.

Complete with Rafa getting the most mad I've ever seen him. Loved it.

That's why he's #1: Tomas didn't have any answers for Rafa in the 2nd set.

Rafa: Three victories against top 8 on most difficult surface for me -

I'm very very happy.

Imma be happy if we get a 2nd Rafa/Roger match this year in the final.

Especially as both seem to be playing their top-level best at the moment.

A fitting end to the season, actually.

Photo: Reuters

Tomas Berdych, David Ferrer & Andy Roddick Seal Last 3 Spots for Year-End Championships in London

Tomas - debut. David - 2nd trip. Andy - qualifies for the 8th straight year.

Let's go paintballing boys!

The O2 8: Rafael, Roger, Novak, Andy, Robin, Tomas, David & Andy.

Maybe we can squeeze in one last Rafa/Roger match this year?

Defending champ Nikolay Davydenko didn't even come close to qualifying.

Consoling Fern: I can't make it to London this year either.

Pete Sampras is really gonna piss off Fedophiles now

Good ol' Pistol Pete was on a conference call today with reporters and naturally he was asked about the current kings of tennis - here are a few things he had to say about Rafael Nadal & Roger Federer.

Pete thinks Rafa can retire with more Slams than Roger, "If he's smart with his schedule and the fact that he has so many at such a young age, he could very well do it. The only question with Rafa is physically how much his body can handle the pounding with how hard he works for every point. You just watch him play, the kid is relentless."

Pete's response to whether Rafa needs to win more Slams to be in the conversation with the all-time greats, "He's won all the majors. He's won the Olympics. He's dominated his main rival, in Roger. I don't think his goal is 16, or 17 or 18, he's just going to try to improve as a tennis player and if it happens, great."

Before you Fedophiles freak he did show Rog some love, "He's a strong favorite for every major he plays. He had two match points against (Novak) Djokovic. He could very well have been in the final. He's playing fine, I don't see any big decline. Other guys are playing better. The next two or three years is a challenging time. But Roger is up to the task and can win more majors."

Men's Semifinals All Set to GO at US Open

3 years now 3 of the 4 are the same - this time Youzhny is the odd man in.

US Open - Men's Semifinals

1 Rafael Nadal vs 12 Mikhail Youzhny - H2H: 7-4

This is Rafa's 3rd appearance in the Open Sf's: 0-2.

In all Slams though it's a very different story in Sf's: 10-3.

This is Mikhail's 2nd following his loss in the '06 Open Sf's.

Good news for Mikhail: Not a lot of active players even have 4 wins on Rafa.

And one of those wins just happens to be right here at the Open, in '06.

Bad news for Mikhail: This is not at all the same Rafa.

***

2 Roger Federer vs 3 Novak Djokovic (above) - H2H: 10-5

This is the 4th year in-a-row the 2 will meet at the Open.

They played the final in '07 and the Sf's the last 2 years.

Roger won all 3 of those matches only dropping a single set.

Coming into this match Roger hasn't lost a set & has played only 1 tie-break.

Novak has dropped 2 sets - both in the 1st round where he nearly exited.

Wake-up call: Since then Novak has played flawless tennis.

This one will come down to hunger.

***

Tennis fans have long awaited a dream Rafa/Roger US Open final.

Can either Mikhail and/or Novak play villain and spoil the party?

Hope not - we need this one for the record books.

Photo: Reuters

Rafael Nadal Sailes into Semifinals at US Open

US Open - Men's Quarterfinal

1 Rafael Nadal d 8 Fernando Verdasco - 75 63 64

Rafa finally lost his serve - in his very first service game of the match.

That never happened again.

Once he got that break back it was smooth sailing.

And like Roger did to Robin last night - Rafa too made Fern look 2nd tier.

In fact, thru his first 5 matches Rafa's never looked this good at the Open.

Every year we hear about him not ever playing well in New York.

Um, he's into the Sf's here for the 3rd straight year. How is that not well?

Sure Murray & Del Potro have kicked his famous butt the last two years...

I would not bet on that happening again this go-around.

It's too soon to be certain of a Rafa/Roger final but it's tantalizingly close.

Tant til izing ly.

Photo: Reuters

Rafael Nadal VS Roger Federer: New Kits at the US Open

Who do I need to thank for losing all that damn pink?!

Rafa will be rocking all-black for his night matches.

Now these I approve of...

Photos: Nike

Rafael Nadal Pulls Draw for Toronto ATP Master's 1000 - Rafa & Roger on Opposite Sides of the Draw

Yes, I am one of the few bozo's that actually watched the live feed.

I loved in the beginning how they didn't know if Rafa would be 'uncomfortable' with placing Roger in the draw and they were going to have someone else do it - Rafa just shrugged, "For me is not a problem."

As it turned out he pulled #4 Andy Murray's name to join him in the top half of the draw which naturally put Roger in the bottom. So the next installment of the Rafa/Roger show can not happened before the final.

I haven't actually seen the draw yet but both players have their work cut out for them if they are to meet in the final. These Masters 1000 events are brutal right from round one.

There was a short Q&A after the draw was complete and of course Rafa was asked about 'the knees' - he reassured the panting press that they are 100%.

I'll do my usual preview of the draw on Sunday.

Ernests Gulbis Signs Autographs in Los Angeles

How happy is that kid? I'd love to ask this him, "Roger or Rafa?"

And I'd love for this kid to shrug, "Why not both?"

Yes, I made a bit of a statement there. Why not both!

Photo from LA Open Twitter page.

Rafael Nadal Storms into Quarterfinals at Wimbledon

2 Rafael Nadal d Paul-Henri Mathieu - 64 62 62

Knee problem? What knee problem? He addressed the knees after the match,

Today was a little bit less than the last 2 days. Didn't feel nothing.

For me, for sure that is a positive thing.

When the BBC commentator wished him good luck against Soderling next...

Rafa said, Thanks, I'll need it.

Rafa advances to his 4th straight Wimbledon Qf: 3-0 & 16th in Slams: 12-3.

He and Roger Federer are both enjoying an 11 match winning streak at W.

It would be fitting for one of them to break the other's in the final, no?

But something tells me at least one of them won't be there on Sunday.

Photo: Reuters

Wimbledon 2010: Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer - Clash of the Kits

These are the kits Rafa & Roger will rock at Wimbledon this year.

#1 Rafael Nadal - Champion in 2008 and looking for a winning return.

 

VS

#2 Roger Federer - Champion in '03-'07 & '09. Looking for a 7th W title.

 

Hopefully these shirts will meet for a 4th Wimbledon final.

French Open Fact: Rafael Nadal vs Roger Federer

Defending champion Roger Federer (above, in practice today) is trying to join Rod Laver & Roy Emerson as the only men in tennis history to win each of the 4 Slams twice. Federer = 6 W, 5 US, 4 AO, 1 FO. Rod Laver = 4 W, 3 AO, 2 US, 2 FO. Roy Emerson = 6 AO, 2 W, 2 US, 2 FO.

*****

Rafael Nadal (his bag below marking his Slam titles) is trying to become only the 4th man in Roland Garros history to win 5 titles. He would join Max Decugis (8 titles between 1903-14), Bjorn Borg (6 titles 1974-81 ) & Henri Cachet (5 titles between 1922-32).

Roger Federer fans can take heart in his Madrid loss...

Because, that was not a knock-out punch.

It has to be said that Roger's clay season has been fairly dismal but with each tournament he progressed a little farther...

We have witnessed him play some bad matches since the Australian Open but Sunday's loss to Rafael Nadal was not one of them - it was a very respectable straight sets loss.

For Rafa to have really rattled his confidence he would have needed to blow him off the court with multiple breaks in each set. That didn't happen. In fact, Roger raised his level and managed a break back to eventually force a tie-break. A tie-break he was ahead in I might add. That was very nearly a 3 set match - and then - who knows...

I've said it before and it's worth repeating: these guys have been getting Roger in best-of-three set matches but very few (Rafa, Del Potro & Novak) have taken him down in best-of-five. And Roland Garros will be the same story. Roger knows it. That's why he can shrug off Sunday's loss so easily.

Roger will have time to fine-tune his play as he marches thru the draw and he may face some tough challenges starting in the round of 16 (or so) but it will be difficult to find a foe that will beat him in five.

Still.

Photo: Reuters

Rafael Nadal Wins Historic Title in Madrid

2 Rafael Nadal d 1 Roger Federer - 64 76(5)

The Rafa/Roger rivalry now stands at 14-7.

Rafa's now stands alone with the most Masters titles at 18 (& counting).

Andre Agassi has 17, Roger Federer has 16.

This is Rafa's 28th (of 39) title on clay - 5th overall on the dirt.

Rafa has now won at least 3 Masters titles in 5 of the last 6 years.

Rafa also becomes the 1st man to ever win 3 consecutive Masters 1000 titles:

Monte Carlo - Rome - Madrid

15-0: Rafa has made a clean sweep on clay this season dropping just 2 sets.

(And so many of you left him for dead a year ago.)

He has certainly gone into Roland Garros the favorite before but this year...

He is but 7 matches away from his (or anyone's) best clay court season yet.

Vamos Rafa indeed.

Photos: Reuters