RICKY’S PREVIEW AND PICK FOR THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL: NADAL VS. FEDERER

Written by: Staff on 28th January 2017

RICKY'S PREVIEW AND PICK FOR THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL: NADAL VS. FEDERER |

Ricky’s preview and pick for the Australian Open final: Nadal vs. Federer

By Ricky Dimon

They are not done yet. Nor is the rivalry.

For the first time in eight years at the Australian Open and for the first time overall since the French Open in 2011, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will be squaring off in a Grand Slam final when they meet again on Sunday night at Melbourne Park.

Nadal is leading the head-to-head series 23-11 and he even owns a relatively surprising 9-7 advantage on hard courts. The Spaniard is 9-2 at Federer’s expense in slam matches, including 3-0 at the Aussie Open. Federer, whose two major defeats of Nadal have come at Wimbledon (2006 and 2007), won their most recent meeting 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 at the 2015 Swiss Indoors Basel.

Federer vs. Nadal in a Grand Slam final comes as somewhat of a shock, and not just because both players slumped through all of 2016 without reaching a major title match. In fact, saying that neither one even made it through all of last year would be more accurate. A wrist problem forced Nadal out of the French Open after two matches, sidelined him from Wimbledon, and ended his 2016 campaign after two fall-swing tournaments. A knee injury prevented Federer from playing two of the four majors and he missed the last five months of the season after falling to Milos Raonic in the Wimbledon semis.

“That’s where both Rafa and myself said, ‘Okay, enough of this already,’ Federer said of their decisions to shut things down early in 2016. “‘Let’s get back to 100 percent, enjoy tennis again, enjoy the practice.’ Not just practice; treatment, practice, treatment, match, treatment. All the time all you’re doing is fighting the fire.”

To say a much-needed offseason has rejuvenated the all-time greats and refueled their fire would be a significant understatement.

Nadal warmed up for 2017 by winning the six-man Abu Dhabi event, beating Tomas Berdych, Milos Raonic, and David Goffin along the way. The world No. 9 fell to Raonic in Brisbane, but he avenged that setback with a 6-4, 7-6(7), 6-4 win over the Canadian in the Aussie Open quarterfinals. In addition to that result, Nadal has advanced by defeating Florian Mayer, Marcos Baghdatis, Alexander Zverev, Gael Monfils, and Grigor Dimitrov. The 14-time slam champion has twice required five sets–first against Zverev and then in an epic 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 6-4 battle with Dimitrov that lasted four hours and 56 minutes on Friday night.

Federer has an extra day of rest, as he survived a five-setter of his own against Swiss compatriot Stan Wawrinka on Thursday night. The 17-time major champion and four-time winner in Melbourne preceded that victory by beating Jurgen Melzer, Noah Rubin, Tomas Berdych, Kei Nishikori, and Mischa Zverev.

“It’s going to be special,” Federer commented. “It’s the epic battle with Rafa…. I just think he’s an incredible tennis player. He’s got shots that no other one has. When you have that, you are unique and special. Plus he’s got the grit. He’s got the mental and physical ability to sustain a super-high level of play for years and for hours and for weeks. He’s proven that time and time again.”

“(It) is special play with Roger again in a final of a Grand Slam,” Nadal added. “I cannot lie. (It) is great; exciting for me and for both of us that we (are) still there and we (are) still fighting for important events.”

Exciting for them and for everyone else.

“Everyone is going to see that final now,” Dimitrov said after losing to Nadal. “Including me. I’m going to watch it for sure. It’s super amazing. It’s great for the sport.”

It should be a great match, too. Nadal has been dominant in the head-to-head series, but the playing field could be evened out by Federer’s extra day of rest, Nadal’s energy-sapping semifinal, and because conditions in Melbourne are slightly faster than usual. That being said, Nadal has proven that he can bounce back in style from tough matches. He will likely do just that again, and therefore be able to execute his tried and trusted game-plan against Federer: pound away at the one-handed backhand with spin serves out wide in the ad court and with heavy topspin forehands.

Pick: Nadal in 4