Fansided

Stage set for Federer Nadal Australian Open final for the ages

By Veronica Elizabeth Bruno

Rafael Nadal (L) of Spain embraces Roger Federer of Switzerland during the trophy presentation for the men's tennis final on day 14 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on early February 2, 2009. Rafael Nadal won a classic Australian Open final against Roger Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-2 to secure his first hard-court Grand Slam and stop the Swiss equalling the all-time Majors record. AFP PHOTO / GREG WOOD (Photo credit should read GREG WOOD/AFP/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal (L) of Spain embraces Roger Federer of Switzerland during the trophy presentation for the men's tennis final on day 14 of the Australian Open in Melbourne on early February 2, 2009. Rafael Nadal won a classic Australian Open final against Roger Federer 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-2 to secure his first hard-court Grand Slam and stop the Swiss equalling the all-time Majors record. AFP PHOTO / GREG WOOD (Photo credit should read GREG WOOD/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Tennis in 2017 is starting off with the most anticipated final in years between two tennis legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Great rivals on several surfaces, Federer and Nadal haven’t met in a finals match since the 2011 French Open. It’s been eight years since they’ve met in a championship match in Melbourne. On both occasions, the younger Spaniard, at the peak of his form, was the victor. The 2009 match in Australia was perhaps the toughest loss, coming just six months after their epic final at the 2008 Wimbledon, a match that many refer to the greatest match of all time.

Wimbledon was Federer’s preferred surface and he had defeated Nadal there the previous year. The 2008 match was fantastic, culminating in a five-set, five-hour match that had Rafa holding the gold trophy in the evening hours. At their meeting in Melbourne, it was clear the lefty had gotten into Federer’s head, coming back to beat the Swiss master on the hardcourt.

Prior to this, Federer could have dismissed Nadal’s wins only on clay. But the Wimbledon and Australian Open defeats signaled Federer was beatable on any surface.

Federer came back to Melbourne the following year and beat Andy Murray at the 2010 final, recouping some of his lost luster. He followed this up with another win over Murray two years later, at Wimbledon.

That was Federer’s last grand slam win. Since then, he’s made it to three finals, all of them losses to Novak Djokovic. Many wrote off the 17-time grand slam champion as past his prime before he made it to two successive finals in 2015, surprising many. Both finals he faced Djokovic and lost in four sets.

LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 10: Rafael Nadal of Spain and Roger Federer of Switzerland pose for pictures prior to their semi-final match during day seven of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at O2 Arena on November 10, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 10: Rafael Nadal of Spain and Roger Federer of Switzerland pose for pictures prior to their semi-final match during day seven of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at O2 Arena on November 10, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

In 2016, Federer did not win any titles and then took a six-month sabbatical to recover from knee surgery.

Plagued by injuries as well, Nadal also started showing wear and tear. The 30-year-old hasn’t made it to a quarterfinal for two years and suffered a serious left wrist injury last year. Again, plenty were writing him off. Will they be back? Will they be what they once were? Can they beat young players?

For the last two weeks, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have proved over and over again that yes, they can.

Federer had a tough draw, sailing through threats from Thomas Berdych and fifth-seed Kei Nishikori earlier in the tournament than he’s used to, due to his No. 17 ranking. Throughout the tournament he’s played fast, aggressive, but with the beauty and artistry that he’s always been known for.

Nadal beat Marco Baghdatis early on, but also sailed through wins over serious threats Jo-Wilfied Tsonga and No. 3 Milos Raonic all the way to his epic with Grigor Dimitrov. The finalist also went five sets to best a player who has a lot of buzz generating about him, the teenage sensation Mischa Zverev.

But most impressive was the fight Nadal displayed in his semifinal win over Dimitrov. The win to get to the championship match was an exhilarating one, that left him collapsed on the court at Rod Laver Arena, in a pile of emotions and sheer relief.

Neither Federer or Nadal expected to make it this far. Yet both aging legends are clearly enjoying their comeback. So is everyone else, it seems.

Andy Roddick, newly chosen for the International Tennis Hall of Fame, lost to Federer in grand slams, and the last American male player to hold the No. 1 ranking, is calling the final perhaps the most important of all time.

“If you think about the historical significance of what that match would look like, one at 14 slams, one at 17 slams, Rafa wins, it’s 15-17, and the French Open is around the corner, it’s back on. It’s literally game on for the most slams ever. If Roger wins, it’s 18-14. I don’t know that that divide gets made up.

“If that happens, it has to be the most important match in Australian Open history and possibly grand slam history.”

Sunday’s championship match will be the 34th combined final for the two players. Federer will be going for grand slam No. 18. Nadal, his 15th.

The wins and matchups may come more far and few between these days, but when they occur, it is an opportunity for the ages and something to savor.

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