Nadal tops ATP rankings - but Federer can return to top

Rafael Nadal retained the world number one ranking in men's tennis in the latest ATP list iassued on Monday but is under threat of losing it to Roger Federer as Wimbledon gets underway.

[Macedonia]

No chance i think that Federer will loose at wimbledon in the semis or in the final.He is not going to win wimbledon this year and Nadal will stay No.1 in the world.

[sagar]

looks like someone was wrong ;)

[Suzy]

LOL

[avva]

Macedonia wrote:

No chance i think that Federer will loose at wimbledon in the semis or in the final.He is not going to win wimbledon this year and Nadal will stay No.1 in the world.

Guess that you called that wrong...

[TMD]

avva wrote:

<quoted text>
Guess that you called that wrong...

Actually, he called it both ways.

He first said there was no chance Federer would lose, then he said Federer would not win.

If the first sentence is actually missing a period after "chance", then he was almost correct. It took a herculean effort by Federer in the fifth set to win 16-14. The match could easily have gone the other way with Roddick winning the second set and going up 2 sets to love.

Give Macedonia some credit for at least having the guts to make a prediction. None of the rest of you did.

[tiki]

I don't think Macedonia had "guts", I believe he was rude. Why make predictions like that? No one really knows whether or not the contenders in these big matches are in their zone or not.

TMD, you are always seeing the glass half full with Mr. Federer. Wimbledon 2008 was pretty close too wasn't it? He's a fine man and player. I won't PREDICT it, but I hope he wins many more slams. I admire his game, personality, perseverance, and intelligence more than any other professional playing in 2009.

[TMD]

tiki wrote:

I don't think Macedonia had "guts", I believe he was rude. Why make predictions like that? No one really knows whether or not the contenders in these big matches are in their zone or not.

Macedonia did not make any disparaging remarks about Federer's character or play. He made a prediction about the outcome of a sporting event. Fans, sportswriters, and bookies do this every day. There is nothing rude about that.

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TMD, you are always seeing the glass half full with Mr. Federer.

Don't you mean "half empty"?

I think Federer is an outstanding tennis player. However, to call him the GOAT is premature, and, in my opinion, inaccurate. He's not infallible, and his skills have started declining. In what other year would he have lost matches to Wawrinka and Djokovic, and let Andy Roddick push him to 5 sets at Wimbledon?

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Wimbledon 2008 was pretty close too wasn't it?

Yes, as it was in 2006 and 2007.

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He's a fine man and player. I won't PREDICT it, but I hope he wins many more slams.

I would hope, and believe that other players will win their share of slams. The problem with Federer winning all of the slams is the same problem we have in golf where Tiger wins 50% of all of the tournaments he enters. It makes it appear as though the level of competition is very weak. Nadal-Federer, Federer-Nadal. These are the only two winning any slams.

A while ago I broke down the level of competition over the last 40 years in tennis. It is quite obvious that the current crop of players is a far cry from the competition level of the 70's and 80's. Do you really believe Federer would have advanced to 20 straight Slam semis if he had to face Connors, McEnroe, Lendl, and Borg in every slam? I don't think so.

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I admire his game, personality, perseverance, and intelligence more than any other professional playing in 2009.

I, too, admire Federer's game. I, however, believe Nadal's game is just as amazing. I, also, believe he is every bit as gracious and humble as Federer.

Besides all that, as I mentioned on another blog, Federer was not the first tennis player to appear to win with effortless grace. There was a guy named Laver who did all this long before Federer came along, and won 2 calendar slams along the way.

[tiki]

Yes, I did mean "half-empty".

Your posts are a lot more civil that some of Federer's critics. I do not believe that Nadal's tennis game is as amazing or as complete as Roger Federer's. I do not care to defend my opinion on this forum. I spend most of my time posting on Roger's website.

Also, have noticed some of your comments refer to Nadal's success at such a young age. I don't believe that indicates he will necessarily continue that. He may or may not. I've watched Borg (the other great clay court player) on the tennis channel. He did not play like Nadal - much smoother, not as ritualistic, and loved his poker face reactions. One doesn't have to display a lot of emotion to have spirit - still waters run deep sometimes. Borg was very dogmatic and consistent - traits he has in common with Nadal.

I would have to state some negative remarks about Nadal's game that I don't care to elaborate on this site. Will say from all I've observed he's a fine person, and is a great tennis player.

Federer's my favorite, and I HOPE he continues to succeed in the sport he loves.

[TMD]

tiki wrote:

Yes, I did mean "half-empty".
Your posts are a lot more civil that some of Federer's critics. I do not believe that Nadal's tennis game is as amazing or as complete as Roger Federer's. I do not care to defend my opinion on this forum. I spend most of my time posting on Roger's website.

Tiki, you and I can respectfully disagree on the Federer/Nadal debate, and it's ok. I have absolutely no problem with differing opinions, as long as the discourse remains civil, and has some basis in logic and fact. Paul from the UK and I have these vigorous discussions all the time, and still remain quite civil. I look forward to reading his posts and, I would hope, he feels the same about mine.

It would be great if you and I could discuss Federer/Nadal at length, however, I have never been one to go to a person's website just to stir the pot. That's why I prefer the more neutral cites where both are discussed, and respected, equally.

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Also, have noticed some of your comments refer to Nadal's success at such a young age. I don't believe that indicates he will necessarily continue that. He may or may not.

Quite true, but it's one of the few predictors we have. Many posters try to compare these two as though they are the same age and have been playing for the same length of time. All I have done is level the playing field by pointing out the progress each has made at the same point in their respective careers.

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I've watched Borg (the other great clay court player) on the tennis channel. He did not play like Nadal - much smoother, not as ritualistic, and loved his poker face reactions. One doesn't have to display a lot of emotion to have spirit - still waters run deep sometimes. Borg was very dogmatic and consistent - traits he has in common with Nadal.

Absolutely. And, if you've noticed, Borg was also a child prodigy. Nadal's and Borg's careers are almost mirrors of each other. It took Borg 3 years after winning his first FO before he won at Wimbledon or the US Open. He was also considered a clay court specialist.

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I would have to state some negative remarks about Nadal's game that I don't care to elaborate on this site. Will say from all I've observed he's a fine person, and is a great tennis player.
Federer's my favorite, and I HOPE he continues to succeed in the sport he loves.

I have never claimed Nadal was the perfect tennis player. I would hope Federer's supporters would concede the same for him. As I have mentioned to Paul earlier, I believe the biggest advantage Federer has over Nadal is his serve. Nadal has been working on this, but it is no where near as effective as Federer's. As it stands now, Nadal has found a way to consistently beat Federer despite this deficiency in his game.

The older and wiser Nadal gets, the better his game gets. He is only 23, I think the sky's the limit. I would hope that the quality of the Federer/Nadal rivalry continues for years to come, as most tennis fans should.

[tiki]

Thanks for your response.

You are right to stay at tennistopix rather than go to Federer's home site. Most Federer fans are very loyal. Like me, they find few faults with his personality or his game. Of course, he's human, and has flaws. I'm sure he would laugh at some of the remarks of fans that do go overboard in their adulation sometimes. Think many of them are just venting, and having fun with their mania over this exceptional man.

This is a more neutral site. Sometimes "trolls", as Roger's fans call them, will write in absurdly insulting remarks. I don't see any sense in this. That's people for you. Likewise, I would never enter Nadal's website and write anything insulting.

Don't believe you would do that, but this is definitely a better venue to sing the praises of Rafa's game.

I've also seen some very immature and some gutter language on this website. That's why you and Paul's comments give this site some dignity and credibiliy - although I surely don't agree somtimes.

Here's to great tennis in the future. Hope all the pros stay healthy to give tennis fans great matches to watch.

[TMD]

tiki wrote:

Here's to great tennis in the future. Hope all the pros stay healthy to give tennis fans great matches to watch.

Well said...

[Paul]

Hi TMD and Tiki,

I too am glad to see that we are finding a civilised 'happy medium' in the Federer/Nadal debate.

The comparison of Nadal to Borg is certainly a valid one (as it is to Federer). They are both fundamentally superb claycourters who have admirably adapted their games to other surfaces; both are two of the quickest and most resolute defensive players ever to have played the game and both have struggled most at the US Open (I'm discounting the Australian, which Borg hardly ever entered). I can see Nadal equalling or overhauling the great Swede's 6 Roland Garros titles and I can also see him winning the US Open one day, which Borg can be considered a little unlucky not to have won.

Personally I think Borg retired a little too early, but he certainly deserves serious discussion in any GOAT debate. I still think -as TMD well knows!- that this is a little premature for Nadal, but may well not be in the next 2 or 3 years.

[Tennisfan]

Macedonia wrote:

No chance i think that Federer will loose at wimbledon in the semis or in the final.He is not going to win wimbledon this year and Nadal will stay No.1 in the world.

Haha it was mistake i wanted to say there is no chance federer to win but i wrote no chance to lose.Anyway i was wrong lol.By the way nadal is no.3 now and i said there is no chance to lose the no.1 spot so i was realy wrong.