|
Federer will relish rivalry with Nadal
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-07 08:53
LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - Roger Federer rarely suffers defeat and
Saturday's loss to Rafael Nadal in the final of the Dubai Open would have left a
bitter taste in the Swiss world number one's mouth.
|
Roger Federer of Switzerland reacts after
losing to Rafael Nadal of Spain in their final match at the Dubai Open
tennis tournament in United Arab Emirates March 4, 2006.
[Reuters]
| Nadal's 2-6 6-4 6-4 victory snapped
Federer's Open-era record of 56 straight victories on hardcourts and confirmed
the Spaniard as a serious challenger to his world domination, as if we needed
reminding.
The fact that the bandana-wearing Spaniard bounded around the court with no
sign of the ankle injuries that threw a question mark over his year was good
news for a sport crying out for a serious rivalry.
Even for Federer, despite a chastening third defeat in four meetings with
Nadal, it could well prove a positive experience and spur him to even greater
feats.
A trawl through the last 30 years of men's tennis throws up some memorable
rivalries.
Ice cool Swede Bjorn Borg scaled the heights to take on the raging John
McEnroe, while the American firebrand regularly crossed swords with compatriot
Jimmy Connors on the world's biggest stages.
Czech Ivan Lendl raised the bar still further, becoming almost unbeatable at
the U.S. Open, while Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg contested three consecutive
Wimbledon finals.
Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, as different as chalk and cheese on and off
the court, played 34 times from 1989, culminating in Sampras's final bow when he
beat his rival in the 2002 U.S. Open final, his 14th grand slam title.
EIGHTH MAJOR
Although Agassi claimed his eighth major title at the Australian Open title
in 2003, there is no doubt he missed having his old sparring partner in his
sights.
Sampras also benefited. When Aggasi returned from his self-imposed break in
the late 90s, he sent the Las Vegan a note expressing his relief that he was
back.
|
