Rafa’s place in history under threat from Djokovic

Written by: Staff on 17th April 2012

Rafa’s place in history under threat from Djokovic

Rafael Nadal of Spain returns the ball during his men's semi final match against Roger Federer of Switzerland at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 26 January 2012. Nadal won in four sets. EPA/HOW HWEE YOUNG |

The phrase “make or break” is often overused. Often when a player has settled on the tour after a rise through the rankings, a season early in their career will be described as make or break – a chance for the player to show if he has the ability to make a mark on the sport, to stick around and get his or her name on some trophies.

Nadal has clearly passed this junction in his career. He’s widely regarded as one of the best ever players, especially on the red dust of his native Europe. This is not a make or break season in the traditional sense. Nadal has bitten enough trophies by now; his name will not be forgotten.

His rivalry with Roger Federer is considered the greatest in the all-time history of the sport, the pair have set individual and joint records, spent 6 years as world ranking number 1 & 2, captured a staggering amount of titles between them and of course gave Wimbledon the final of all finals in 2008.

Yet despite a better head to head record in most categories, it is Federer, not Nadal who is currently thought of as a true contender to the title Greatest of All-Time. Much of this has been put down to the relatively large age gap between the two. Federer at first didn’t really acknowledge the rivalry, but 2008 changed all that, and Nadal considered Federer as a role model before becoming his rival. Five years is a long time in tennis. It is no coincidence that as their careers progressed, Nadal started to get the edge over his older foe. That’s just what happens.

Nadal himself alluded to the lopsided notion of a rivalry with a man 5 years his elder when he remarked on the number of Open titles Federer had won compared to himself. But Nadal is catching him up – it was always going to be that way. Roger Federer would have to set the bar high and then Rafa Nadal would see if he could surpass it, probably after Federer had retired. That was the script, the plan. That was going to be the way that the entire tennis community would measure who was the greater player.

No-one told Novak Djokovic. Since his outstanding season in 2011 he’s turned into a right regular party pooper. Nadal currently leads in head-to-head statistics 16-14, but Djokovic has prevailed each of the last seven times they’ve played each other – all in finals too. Djokovic denied Nadal in the final 6 times in 2011 – so it’s fair to say that this rivalry has turned in favour of the Serb. At just one year younger, not so much can be put down to age vas can be with the swing in fortunes of Nadal and Federer.

Where does this leave Rafa? He was supposed to take over form Federer and dominate for 5 more years before passing the mantle on to someone else. Nadal now faces the possibility of not being allowed to measure himself up to Roger’s standards – Novak stands in the way.

Yes, Nadal has amassed titles at an incredible rate – double the amount of Grand Slam wins (10-5), but the way that Nadal plays, and also the sheer amount of games that he’s had to go through to win those titles has taken its toll. Fitness has become a real issue for the Spaniard, time is against him too.

If Nadal doesn’t manage to swing that momentum back in his favour and find a way to beat Novak Djokovic, then we won’t be able to say “Rafa Nadal was the greatest player ever” just that he held the torch for a while – a steward holding the crown, in wait for the next Kind to wear it. That’s why even thought Nadal has established himself as a legend of the game, in order to be keep himself in consideration for the accolade of best ever, 2012 is a make or break year for him.

Nadal needs to get over that epic defeat in Australia, and there’s no better time and place to do that than right now in Monte Carlo, where he chases an 8^th straight title.