High Stakes
Category: Tennis
Publish Date: 01-31-2009 08:45 AM -0500
Super Bowl? If an 9-7 team is playing in your sport's ultimate event, you can't call it super, never mind with a capital "S." (Apologies to readers from Arizona, and best of luck.) What we have in store for us in Melbourne tomorrow night, though, ought to be truly spectacular: Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal in their first major final on a hard court and 19th meeting overall. Call it Super Bowl XIX. Here is what's at stake. (And if you want to read some fine coverage of the women's final, a.k.a., "Serena's Melbourne Massacre: Revenge of the Champ," check out Abby Lorge here.)
Greatness
No matter what Roger Federer does the rest of his career, he deserves a place among the game's all-time greats. Is Rod Laver--by virtue of his two Grand Slams--better? Or perhaps Bjorn Borg should wear the crown, simply for executing the French Open-Wimbledon double, the most difficult turn in the sport, three consecutive years? I'll admit that after three years of this back and forth, I've begun to tire of the argument. If Federer ties Pete Sampras' record of 14 major titles or beats it, he's the greatest (as long as you're willing to accept that just as strong an argument might be made for Laver). If Federer does this by beating his rival in the process, all the better. The danger here is if he loses. In terms of history, there is more on the line in this match for Federer than Nadal, who has beaten Federer four consecutive times and 12 out of 18. Federer usually rises to the occasion, and this final is one of the biggest of his career.
No. 1
Nadal will retain the No. 1 ranking at the end of this tournament, no matter the outcome. If he wins tomorrow, though, he'll have a firm grip on the top spot (his ranking points lead will exceed 3,000). If he loses, Federer would have the last two majors to his name and seem likely to return the top spot before the season ends (he has few points to defend leading up to the French Open).
Relevance
Federer and Nadal have the best rivalry in sports at the moment, and because of them the sport is more relevant to casual fans than it has been in years. In all but one of their meetings at majors, they have produced a compelling contest. Last year's Wimbledon final woke up the world; this is a chance to grab attention again and do a lot of good for the sport.
Trivia, and Thank You
Do you think the Federer-Nadal rivalry is the best in tennis history? Maybe this trivia question will help you decide:
Which rivals played the most times in the final of a tournament?
A. Andre Agassi v. Pete Sampras
B. Ivan Lendl v. John McEnroe
C. Ivan Lendl v. Boris Becker
D. Boris Becker v. Stefan Edberg
I promise answers in a follow-up post, but I can't promise when that post will appear. As of tomorrow, I'm on full-time magazine duty, trying my best to recap what has been a wonderful tournament (and if I'm lucky, explain what it all means). I'll return with thoughts on the Federer-Nadal final, either tomorrow, or once I return to New York (on Monday). Thanks for stopping by these past two weeks and check back tomorrow. I'll be here if time permits.
