Will Nadal pass Federer?

[Andy22]

All the injurys in Nadal career+ him coming back better than ever all the time, adds to his greatness but is also huge in the goat race. How lucky are we to be in the same world as Nadal and that his still playing tennis with God like level of play.

 

[calitennis127]

I honestly don't see how this is in any way "the same token."

Because if we're going to look at their respective careers in the big picture and compare the advantages/disadvantages each had, coaching is fair game if injuries are. Nadal maximized his potential and then some, mostly thanks to Uncle Toni and himself tinkering with a bunch of little things in his game. I don't think Federer had anything approximating that kind of influence in his tennis career until maybe Ljubicic, but obviously this is a bit late for avoiding the disaster against Nadal on clay that wrecked Federer's hold on the tour. If Ljubicic was his coach at that time, I think the Federer-Nadal series on clay could have been much different.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Because if we're going to look at their respective careers in the big picture and compare the advantages/disadvantages each had, coaching is fair game if injuries are. Nadal maximized his potential and then some, mostly thanks to Uncle Toni and himself tinkering with a bunch of little things in his game. I don't think Federer had anything approximating that kind of influence in his tennis career until maybe Ljubicic, but obviously this is a bit late for avoiding the disaster against Nadal on clay that wrecked Federer's hold on the tour. If Ljubicic was his coach at that time, I think the Federer-Nadal series on clay could have been much different.

LOL glad you have a new angle to approach this...I gotta hand it to you, at least it's original. But for the record, having a good coach or not is not in any way similar to being forced to miss majors due to injury, which is something you can't control. That I have to explain the fallacy in this is quite something...

 

[Front242]

All the injurys in Nadal career+ him coming back better than ever all the time, adds to his greatness but is also huge in the goat race. How lucky are we to be in the same world as Nadal and that his still playing tennis with God like level of play.

PRP treatment is performance enhancing and he had it done in 2009 and 2012 so it has less to do with his greatness than you think. Hence why he came back as you say better than ever in 2 of his best years in 2010 and 2013.

 

[Andy22]

PRP treatment is performance enhancing and he had it done in 2009 and 2012 so it has less to do with his greatness than you think. Hence why he came back as you say better than ever in 2 of his best years in 2010 and 2013.

No Nadal does not do that, stop with your witch hunt it's getting old, like your trolling, sorry to tell bro but Federer has been talking performance enhancing drugs in 2012+ 2008, 2017) Why do think he won Wimbledon 2012 then he got injured? Also Federer not winning Australia open can be sure of that.

 

[Moxie]

PRP treatment is performance enhancing and he had it done in 2009 and 2012 so it has less to do with his greatness than you think. Hence why he came back as you say better than ever in 2 of his best years in 2010 and 2013.

The treatment that Nadal had done in '09 and '12 was during injury lay-off, and he was given a TUE for them. Do these things last so long that they'd affect his wins at RG, W, and USO in '10 and RG and USO in '13? Also, I think Nadal's '08 is always overlooked when talking about his greatest years. The tennis he was playing during the clay season was other-worldly. Oh, and he won Wimbledon, and Olympic Gold (singles.)

 

[Nadalfan2013]

Every reply in this thread should simply be the word “Yes”. Everything else is a waste of time.

 

[Andy22]

Every reply in this thread should simply be the word “Yes”. Everything else is a waste of time.

I agree it is waste of time the real Question should be how many grand slam titles is nadal going to end with 23 or 24 can he get to Margaret court Yea maybe depends how long Nadal can play for?

 

[rafanoy1992]

In my opinion, while Nadal lost big opportunities in 2017 Australian Open (against Federer) and 2018 Wimbledon (against Djokovic), IF he does surpasses Federer in the slam count, both 2017 and 2019 Grand Slam seasons will be important on why he might surpass Federer. Now of course Federer failing to convert 2 championship points in 2019 Wimbledon final is another important reason on why Nadal might surpass Federer. However, I am just talking about Nadal's opportunities with his own play.

2017 and 2019 is quite similar in terms of the outcome of slam count "race." The main similarity is Nadal on the middle of both Federer and Djokovic.

When 2017 started, Nadal was trailing Federer by three slams. Then after the 2017 AO, Federer gained 1 over him. Nadal did win the 2017 Roland Garros crown. Federer won another Wimbledon crown and pushed his lead back to 4 slams. At that point, I thought Nadal will never tie and/or surpass Federer because 4 slams is hard to overtake. Then, he won 2017 US Open. So by the end of 2017, the lead never changed and Nadal was able to balance it out. Then, 2018 AO happened and once again Federer pushed back the lead into 4 slams. Nadal won Roland Garros again to cut the lead back to three slams. Djokovic re-enters the prey and won both Wimbledon and US Open at the end of 2018 Grand Slam season.

By the start of 2019, Nadal not only trails Federer (20 > 17) by three slams but he also leads Djokovic by three slams (17 > 14). Just like in 2017, Nadal lost the Australian Open final shrinking his lead over Djokovic by two slams. Then, Nadal won Roland Garros again. We know what happened in the 2019 Wimbledon final. So it comes back to the 2019 US Open once again. Either Nadal lead over Djokovic will remain three or his lead lead will shrink to one slam going to 2020 Grand Slam season. Fortunately for Nadal and his fans, he won 2019 US Open and retained his three slam lead over Djokovic (19 > 16) going into 2020 Grand Slam season while gaining two slams over Federer in 2019.

All in all, IF Nadal does surpasses Federer, him winning the slams (2017 FO and US Open, 2018 FO, 2019 FO and US Open) AFTER his main rivals won the previous slams (2017 AO and Wimbledon, 2018 AO, 2019 AO & Wimbledon) is very important in balancing the race between the three of them. If he does not win those slams (especially the two US Opens), he will not have an opportunity to even tie or surpass Federer in the slam count ''race".

Now, the statement above is about Nadal controlling his racket and match. IF we were talking about something he can not control, then the 2019 Wimbledon final is a huge reason IF Nadal does surpasses Federer.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

bump

 

[Nadalfan2013]

Even back in 2009 Federer knew that he was facing the GOAT.

Nadal fans knew it too but now Federer fans are starting to witness it.

 

[Jelenafan]

Well, I have to say Nadal looked good today in snagging his 20th, as far as movement , power and conditioning. The big thing to me is he's not overplayed and (fingers crossed) relatively injury free. At the least he should be the prohibitive favorite at the FO again come 7 months from now when hopefully Roland Garos is played in the springtime. I expect him to be competitive at all the Majors next year and hopefully beyond so as of now his prospects are better than 50/50 to get #21 within a year.

 

[Andy22]

Nadal already on 20 majors so yes easy pass 3rd goat Federer now.

 

[Andy22]

Even back in 2009 Federer knew that he was facing the GOAT.

Nadal fans knew it too but now Federer fans are starting to witness it.

man that wise man you are I did not think about then federer cry like a little brat girl at AO 2009, federer fans now know it, and even djokovic fans as well I know it you know and now the whole world knows it as well.

 

[Kieran]

It’s not inevitable that Rafa will pass Roger, and in some ways I’d be thrilled if they both stayed on 20, their bromance seems very real, it’s unique in sports, and they’ve both contributed immeasurably to tennis. So both of them finishing on 20 seems fairly apt.

Rafa might pass him, but who knows? Next year might just be that season when there’s new faces everywhere and the old faces look really old. This wouldn’t be a bad thing...

 

[Fiero425]

It’s not inevitable that Rafa will pass Roger, and in some ways I’d be thrilled if they both stayed on 20, their bromance seems very real, it’s unique in sports, and they’ve both contributed immeasurably to tennis. So both of them finishing on 20 seems fairly apt.

Rafa might pass him, but who knows? Next year might just be that season when there’s new faces everywhere and the old faces look really old. This wouldn’t be a bad thing...

Yep, Nadal doesn't want or need Djokovic to break up their private little party at the top of the rankings! Make no bones about it Nole's interrupted their era of greatness in so many ways!

 

[Kieran]

Yep, Nadal doesn't want Djokovic to brk-up their private party! Make no bones about it Nole's interrupted their era of greatness in so many ways!

Well, in some ways I think of Novak as being of a different, later generation to Federer. Murray and Djoker are just enough years younger to be included among the next legion of stars.

Rafa is a different generation to Federer too, but he was so precocious and alpha, he nudged aside Rogers contemporaries and inadequate rivals to become the de facto heir, aged barely 18. But Rafa straddles two eras: once he’d replaced roger at the top, Novak hit his stride, so Rafa fought a battle on two fronts, so to speak. All this is to say that even though “his time has long gone”, Roger had remained eminent, and Rafa too, in still steadily fighting his cause.

Novak as well, for the pedants, although we may look back at the years 2008-2012 as being the peak for the Big 3...

 

[Fiero425]

Well, in some ways I think of Novak as being of a different, later generation to Federer. Murray and Djoker are just enough years younger to be included among the next legion of stars.

Rafa is a different generation to Federer too, but he was so precocious and alpha, he nudged aside Rogers contemporaries and inadequate rivals to become the de facto heir, aged barely 18. But Rafa straddles two eras: once he’d replaced roger at the top, Novak hit his stride, so Rafa fought a battle on two fronts, so to speak. All this is to say that even though “his time has long gone”, Roger had remained eminent, and Rafa too, in still steadily fighting his cause.

Novak as well, for the pedants, although we may look back at the years 2008-2012 as being the peak for the Big 3...

I'll let you get away with that, but hope you won't end up being one of those "hatahs" that say Nole won over "broken down old men" and "totally out of it!" Some out here actually have the nerve to use such verbiage as "vulturing" titles/majors! All I know is when I was in my 30's I remained competitive and could school the kiddies! Even though Nole's 2015 had more impressive numbers, the competition was even tougher for his 2011 campaign where Roger was good enough to stop "the run" on clay in Paris in the SF!

 

[rafanoy1992]

The answer to this question officially is Yes

 

[Moxie]

The answer to this question officially is Yes

I think it's also particularly satisfying to note this. Much has been made that he broke the 3-way tie. But he's never been behind Novak, in the slam count. However, he's spent his whole career chasing Roger in it, so I like pulling it out separately, as an achievement. There was a time, when Rafa was stalled at 14, that I thought I might be content for him just to pass Pete. And he was perpetually 3 behind Roger, for some long while. Taking the longer view, passing Roger is very sweet, indeed.