Argument goes out the window when prime Fed was still losing everywhere to Nadal.
10-21 is anything but competitive
Losing everywhere?
Where was Nadal at the AO or the USO when Fed was in his peak years? Fed showed up. Nadal was either absent or too young.
The one place Nads was always showing up - young or old - was on clay. Fed was there, even to lose. Novak has done no better.
The other place was grass and Fed was 2-1 v Nada during his peak. Of course, Rafa's comparatively short run on grass compared to Fed.
Now it's 3-1 for Fed of course - inc both of their primes. It should be noted Fed has no business beating Rafa on any surface since 2012 really.
To you and the OP the answer is there for anyone really looking.
Fed is in a different generation to Djokdal and that's been his disadvantage for most of his career against them, esp Dokjdal.
Of course, this argument is so old and tired it has more rings than a redwood.
So I'm out. For any rebuttals, just rinse and repeat the thread i started here:
From 9/13/17 ...
I don't think people give enough credit to the reality that Federer has - for several years now - been competing very well with the generation below him - aka - the Big Four - even though he is clearly not their peer.
No one thinks Grigor is Rafa's generation. But the age difference is the same as between Rafa and Grigor as between Rog and Rafa.
And so the truth is Fed is not Rafa's peer. He is not Novak's or Andy's. He's not in their generation.
He crushed his generation so bad they're now called "the weak era" by many Rafalites and many Novakiples who seek to demean him. But he made them look weak. Now his peers are all gone in terms of threats for any titles while Rog has for years been setting a new standard for keeping up with the greats below him.
Folks talk of his Big 4 H2H loss as if that's some crucial liability. But given his age at this point That should be expected and it's a ridiculous argument against him. He should be getting regularly and consistently DESTROYED by these guys by now. And he's not. He's still very competitive.
While Rafa's greatness at such an early age was clear in that he was beating Fed on clay often in Fed's prime - the rest of the field can't claim such awesomeness as the Bull can.
But Rafa not withstanding, It's one of the special aspects of his GOATNESS that Fed has to deal with the strength and youth of the rest of the big 4 - and their peers - while also being so much older.
And today - that at 35-36!!!! - the GOAT subdues his cheif nemesis with consistency over 2017 and now chases YE#1 just testifies to his greatness.
Once again he's in uncharted territory. Rafa and Nole may follow the way he's paved - or they may not - but once again: he does what no one's really done in recent history.
VAMOS THE FED!!!
