Cynthia Lum/WireImage.comRoger
will rumble with Rafa on dirt.
It’s
been way too long since the world top two of Roger Federer and Rafael
Nadal faced off. Unfortunately, these legends who have terrorized the
last of the tour at big events for the past three years haven’t
both played well at the same event in 2008 and consequently, the last
time they met was at 2007 TMC Shanghai, where Federer beat up an exhausted
Nadal for the first time in their rivalry, which now stands at 8-6 for
the Spaniard.
“Tomorrow, I will try to push him to see what happens," said
Federer, whose confidence is creeping back into his game after a decent
title run in Estoril and some fine, aggressive play in Monte Carlo on
Saturday, he took care of the Boy-Who-Might-Be-King, Novak Djokovic 6-3,
3-2. The Australian Open retired after complaining of dizziness and a
sore throat.
"From the start I didn't feel so great. But obviously, at the start
of the match you feel fresh still somehow. But then after a while, after
five, six games, after long points, I started to feel more and more worse,"
Djokovic said. “I was thinking about stopping even after the first
set. But I just wanted to try and see how it goes."
Three-time Monte Carlo champ Nadal reached the final with a clinical 6-3
6-2 win over a tired-looking Nikolay Davydenko. "I tried to play
my best. But if I hit balls, for Nadal it's normal. He just runs and makes
topspin back and gets running again."
That’s the key for Nadal – feeling comfortable moving and
sliding on his beloved red dirt. He’s had a very respectable year
up to this point, reaching the Aussie Open semis and the Indian Wells
and Miami finals, but has yet to win a title. In fact, he’s title-less
since 2007 Stuttgart, nearly 10 months ago. He also has a ton of points
to defend during the clay season – the Monte Carlo, Barcelona and
Rome titles, a final in Hamburg where he lost to Federer, and the Roland
Garros crown.
"I think I am more adapted to clay at every match. I feel I play
more clay style every day," said Nadal.
While Nadal will clearly be the favorite in the match given his 6-1 record
against the Swiss on dirt, Federer has been trying to step up his level
and vary his attack more under his new coach, Spaniard Jose Higueras.
He has rarely been able to contend with Nadals’s deep, hooking left
forehand on clay, or his slice serve into his one handed backhand in the
ad court. Federer has been frequently encouraged to use a low slice more
against Nadal on dirt, and to try to rush the net more frequently.
But the fact is that the Spaniard is simply a better clay court player
when he’s on. It’s almost impossible to rush the net against
him on dirt, as he passes extremely well of his weaker backhand side given
a little more time. Plus he’s so quick and is such and accomplished
ball striker when bending low that only the wicked slice troubles him.
In long rallies from the back of the court, he rarely makes mistakes.
To beat a healthy and spry Nadal on clay, Federer will have to play near
perfectly for a good three hours and at this point in the season coming
of about of mono last December, it may be too soon. But even if he loses
the Monte Carlo final, it looks like he's turning the corner again and
Nadal must surely be ware that Federer will be gunning for him during
the next two months, with a silver bullet possibly hid deep in his back
pocket. The Swiss doesn’t have to win the Monte Carlo title to leave
France feeling good about himself, but he has to compete well and a least
keep it close.
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