5 players who have defeated both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in Grand Slams
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are the most revered names in tennis. Be it Federer’s ballerina-like movement on court or Nadal’s of-the-cuff ferocious forehand, both have enthralled the world with their tennis prowess.
Both players have entertained us with their unorthodox shot-making for years, and have played in an era where records have been constantly tumbling. The quality of their top-notch tennis regularly sends shivers down our spines, and they have amassed a whopping 37 Grand Slams together.
Over the past decade, it would almost always be either Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray who would halt their path to glory. However, there have been a few instances when other players have also stopped the two legends.
In this article, we take a look at five players other than Murray and Djokovic to have beaten both Federer and Nadal in their Grand Slam career.
#5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Australian Open 2008 Semifinal – def. Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-3, 6-2
Having turned pro in 2004, Tsonga announced himself to the tennis world in 2008. He was out of action for most part of 2005 and 2006 owing to multiple injuries.
Known for his powerful serve and strong forehand, Tsonga defeat four seeded players en-route to the 2008 Australian Open final, which included Andy Murray, Richard Gasquet, Mikhail Youzhny and Rafael Nadal. It was the victory over Nadal that encapsulated his most riotous display of tennis.
In the semi-final fixture against Nadal, Tsonga came out all guns blazing and ended up dropping just seven games. However, he couldn't prevail in his maiden and so far only Grand Slam final, which he lost in four sets to Djokovic.
Wimbledon 2011 Quarterfinal – def. Roger Federer 3-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
This was Tsonga’s second Grand Slam encounter with Federer. The Swiss was the clear favorite on grass at Wimbledon, and went ahead after breaking Tsonga in the second game of the first set. In the second set, both players held their serve comfortably to take the game into a tie-breaker which Federer won 7-6 (7-3).
But in the following sets, it was all about perfect shots on critical points, which Tsonga rather than Federer executed immaculately. At 1-1 in the third set, Tsonga converted a rare break point with a down-the-line winner, and he hung on to wrap it up 6-4.
The same plot repeated in the fourth and fifth sets, as he broke Federer early in each to complete a sensational comeback to eliminate Federer from his favorite tournament.
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Bonus Mention
French Open 2013 Quarterfinal – def. Roger Federer 7-5, 6-3, 6-3