subject: Rafael Nadal Looks To Land 4th Straight Grand Slam Title And Become Greatest Tennis Player... Ever! [print this page] After his French Open win in 2009, and right up until a few weeks ago, Roger Federer was classed as the best tennis player in the world. No question. In fact, many observers saw the Swiss player as the greatest to ever pick up a racquet.
Rafael Nadal: Aiming for a 4th straight Grand Slam in January's Australian Open
The previous giants of the game ... Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Andre Agassi (the only five players, at the time, who had completed a career Grand Slam before Federer) were hailed as true champions. The modern era has added new names like Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras.
However, Federer had the style, the ability and the general 'nice guy appeal' to match any of these great performers. Moreover, being currently active on tour the media are only too willing to give him this title. It's good for tennis. It's also good for ratings.
Up to this point Rafael Nadal was always seen as a great player but only within his own sphere i.e. on the clay courts of Europe and especially at his spiritual home of Roland Garros. All that was to change at Flushing Meadows on September 12th.
With his straight sets win over Novak Djokovic in the US Open final, Nadal not only won the 9th Grand Slam title of his career but he completed his own career Grand Slam, little over a year after Federer.
Is Nadal Now Better Than Federer?
Well, this is where tennis fans and sports betting enthusiasts do like to trade statistics ...
Of course, Federer has won more ATP Tour titles than Nadal (63 to 42) has won more Grand Slams than the Spaniard (16 to 9) and has spent many more weeks as world No.1 than Rafa (285 to 64). In fact, at one point, Federer topped the lists for 237 consecutive weeks!
However, Nadal achieved the feat of winning all four Grand Slams aged three years younger than Federer (24 to 27). The 'Pearl Of Manacor' can also point to a 2008 Olympic Gold Medal in Beijing plus Davis Cup victories with Spain in both 2008 & 2009 - none of which Federer can boast. And, it must be said, Nadal is the player who has had to change his game the most in order to adapt on unfamiliar surfaces (especially the grass at Wimbledon).
It could be argued, all the accolades which Federer has received are simply because he has achieved all these feats first ... and it's hardly Nadal's fault that he was born in 1986 and not 1981 like his great rival.
This argument will run and run. Not until Federer is retired and Nadal has hung up his long shorts and bandana will a final total be calculated and a winner can be announced.
The pair will continue to battle it out over the remaining Masters Series events of 2010, the World Tour Finals in London and the Australian Open 2011 (Nadal is 2/1 Skybet to win a fourth straight Grand Slam in Melbourne - click 10 free bet to open an account).
As ever we'll be providing online betting tips for all the forthcoming tennis action - click Tennis Betting Service for details.
