The ethereal FEDAL experience
It was the final of the 2008 Wimbledon Championships. The master craftsman responding to the name of Roger Federer had just played a magical drop shot that fell just beyond the net. All those watching thought Ah! Federer has done it. But his opponent ran with an intense look of determination and defiance on his face, met the ball inches from the ground and played an ethereal passing shot.
It is not often that a man like Federer is stunned, but on that day, that was exactly the look on his face. And, over the next decade, Federer would be posed so many difficult questions by this man called Rafael Nadal.
It has been almost two decades since these two icons started playing top-flight tennis and even today, they are ranked inside the top-3 in the world. Federer and Nadal lead the list of Grand Slam winners with 20 and 17 Grand Slam titles respectively to their name.
And these two men, over the years, have given Tennis fans memories that will last a lifetime. It is the contrasting styles of these two icons that took Tennis watching to unimaginable peaks unfathomable by the lesser mortals of Tennis.
Federer is a Genius, a man who is almost touched by an invisible hand from above, a man who has converted Tennis into an art. Seeing Federer at his best can almost discourage an eager Tennis aspirant- What is the use of putting in all the hard work? I can never play like him. Oh My God! How does he do it? These are the emotions that Federer evokes in our minds.
Nadal, on the other hand, is a man who symbolizes all the human qualities that one should have in life, hard work, endurance, patience, perseverance, willpower etc. He is a man who embodies every word of the phrase “Never Give Up.”. He would be two sets to love down, and face the prospect of losing a match, but he will still run and bring the ball back into play, he will still hit that powerful forehand of his with all his might. He just will not quit.
Just watch a Federer-Nadal clash, and it will not take you long to realize that you are witnessing something you have never witnessed before. Federer would have hit a bewitching single-handed backhand down the line; Nadal will match it with a ferocious forehand of his own, Federer would have hit that sublime drop shot, Nadal will run full throttle and meet the ball with his racket just inches from the ground.
And when you look at this, there will be so many occasions where your mouth will open unconsciously in awe, where your heart will skip a beat… Wow! How do they do it?
Do you recall that Wimbledon final in 2008 when these two men rallied, back and forth keeping you at the edge of your seat, before Nadal finally prevailed in a classic five-setter? Or that Australian Open Final in 2009 when, after an astounding display, Nadal won the trophy and went and consoled the Swiss maestro who was in tears? Or that epic Australian Open Final in 2017 where these two legends, well into their thirties, bewitched you before the great Federer went on to win his 18th Grand Slam title?
This has been a rivalry that has lasted for over 15 years, a rivalry that has defied time, a rivalry that has stayed fresh, and most importantly, a rivalry that is not yet over.
Go through the FEDAL experience, and you will be convinced that you have not experienced anything like this before.