Nadal sends a clear message
Yesterday’s performance by Nadal showed more than just a victory in a tennis match. Coming into the tennis match after a five hour marathon match against Federeco Verdasco, such mental toughness might never be displayed again in any sport. Nadal never showed any hint of wear from the previous match and would constantly walk on to court with his head up and feet light even after losing the first set to Federer.
For Federer’s case he, like the rest of the world, was clearly watching and waiting to see when Nadal would crack. All the commentators, were watching when Nadal would start to breath heavily, or his muscles tighten up from over extension. As the match progressed, Federer’s body language deteriorated. Nadal would constantly fight back from break points down and never laid down. It took a lucky break for Federer to win the fourth set. He was clearly completely out in the fifth set. His serve was a loose canon and his ground strokes deserted him. Nadal clearly had him at his knees, his sharp mentality slicing Federer’s game out of the stadium.
Looking at Nadal’s past three years, one must think of what he has accomplished. He is a Spaniard with a typical Spanish claycourt baseliner game. He had to endure two very tough final defeats to Federer at Wimbledon before finally trumping the Swiss at his own game. Such a victory galvanises a person for further battles. Nobody ever thought Nadal could win Wimbledon. Perhaps it was this thought that eventually let Federer down. With Wimbledon, the French Open and Australian Open under his belt he is now the king of tennis.
In 2007 you could bet your house on Federer and sleep easy at night knowing your roof was safe. In 2008 you lost your house betting on Federer. Now in 2009 you can return to bet the shirt on your back on Nadal to help you win back that house.
