Nadal and Federer - in the locker room
Here’s a few stories from this past year - one where Nadal and Federer cross paths after a match and another of how Nadal dealt with his loss of Wimbledon.
Fast forward to the semi-finals of the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai in November.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have barely walked off centre court and the pair cross paths in a corridor.
Federer has hardly broken a sweat destroying Nadal 6-4 6-1.
In another world, Nadal would have shunned contact with Federer at all costs.
Eye contact would have been avoided. Token conversation likewise.
But here is Nadal, effortlessly juggling a soccer ball off his arms, shoulders and feet as part of his warm down in front of an entranced Federer.
Instinctively, Federer joins in as the two best tennis players in the world chat while keeping the ball in the air.
After a few minutes marvelling at Nadal’s deft footwork, Federer generously declares the Spaniard has superior skills to Diego Maradona.
The men exchange smiles and Nadal happily takes his leave.
It is a new world. Fraternity has returned at the top and Nadal, at 21, is content to lead the way with Federer.
There is no doubt the muscular Spaniard would have handled himself in Cash’s era. Equally, there is no question over Nadal’s mental toughness.
Amazingly, he has been unable to use running as a training tool since 2005 because of stress fractures in his feet.
But he has remained world No. 2, behind Federer, while winning three successive French Open crowns and forging a rare winning head-to-head record (8-6) against the Swiss master.
Nadal’s affection for Federer has not blunted his desire to topple him, but his most savage setback in 2007 came at Federer’s hands in a stupendous Wimbledon final.
The Spaniard’s low point came about 7.30pm on July 8 in the wood-panelled All England Club locker room.
It was the moment Nadal was driven to tears amid the realisation the Wimbledon title and the season-ending No. 1 ranking had slipped through his hands.
As usual, there was no public sign of Nadal’s angst.
“When I arrived to the locker room, I sat down and, as it’s normal after losing the final of the tournament that you dream of winning, against the (world) No. 1 and with lots of chances, I started to cry of anger, of sadness,” Nadal said.
“It’s been the only match of the year that I’ve cried and one of the few in my career.
“It was a really close match. I was 20 or 25 minutes there (crying). When people started arriving, I sat down inside the tub. They were cheering me up.
“I thanked them and I asked for being alone. I don’t like people witnessing me crying.” Herald Sun
Aw, how sweet. I hope Nadal makes it back to the Wimby finals in 2008!