Match Stats/Report - Federer vs Nadal, Wimbledon final 2007

[Waspsting]

Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal 7-6(7), 4-6, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-2 in the Wimbledon final 2007 on grass

The win gave Federer an Open Era recording equalling 5th consecutive Wimbledon and he would go and was a repeat of the previous years result. The following year, the result would be reversed

Federer won 165 points, Nadal 158

Serve Stats
Federer...
- 1st serve percentage (111/156) 71%
- 1st serve points won (80/111) 72%
- 2nd serve points won (27/45) 60%
- Aces 25, Service Winners 5
- Double Faults 3
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (58/156) 37%

Nadal...
- 1st serve percentage (117/167) 70%
- 1st serve points won (80/117) 68%
- 2nd serve points won (29/50) 58%
- Aces 2
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (33/167) 20%

Serve Pattern
Federer served...
- to FH 47%
- to BH 53%

Nadal served...
- to FH 10%
- to BH 85%
- to Body 4%

Return Stats
Federer made...
- 132 (38 FH, 94 BH), including 22 runaround FHs
- 2 Winners (2 FH), both runarounds
- 31 Errors, comprising...
- 8 Unforced (3 FH, 5 BH), including 2 runaround FH attempts
- 23 Forced (5 FH, 19 BH)
- Return Rate (132/165) 80%

Nadal made...
- 95 (41 FH, 54 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 2 Winners (2 FH)
- 28 Errors, comprising...
- 8 Unforced (4 FH, 4 BH)
- 20 Forced (7 FH, 13 BH)
- Return Rate (95/153) 62%

Break Points
Federer 3/8 (4 games)
Nadal 4/11 (7 games)

Winners (including returns, excluding aces)
Federer 40 (19 FH, 8 BH, 6 FHV, 3 BHV, 3 OH, 1 BHOH)
Nadal 48 (25 FH, 13 BH, 2 FHV, 6 BHV, 2 OH)

Federer's regular FHs - 3 cc, 3 dtl (1 slightly inside-out), 7 inside-out (including 2 returns), 1 inside-in
- FH passes - 2 cc, 2 dtl, 1 longline played at net

- regular BHs - 2 cc, 2 dtl, 1 longline, 1 drop shot
- BH passes - 1 cc, 1 dtl

- 4 winners from serve-volley points - 2 first volleys (1 swinging FHV, 1 OH), 2 second volleys (1 FHV, 1 BHOH)

- 1 other FHV was a drop volley

Nadal's regular FHs - 6 cc, 2 dtl, 7 inside-outs (including 2 returns), 1 inside-in, 1 longline and 2 drop shots
- FH passes - 4 cc, 1 dtl

- regular BHs - 5 cc, 1 inside-out
- BH passes - 3 cc (one of which he fell down playing), 3 dtl (1 somewhat inside-out), 1 inside-in

- 2 from serve volley points, both first 'volleys' (1 FH at net, 1 FHV)

- 3 other BHVs were drop volleys and 1 was a stop volley

Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Federer 74
- 47 Unforced (20 FH, 24 BH, 2 FHV, 1 BHV)
- 27 Forced (13 FH, 10 BH, 1 FHV, 1 FH1/2V, 2 BHV)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 46.2

Nadal 65
- 32 Unforced (20 FH, 12 BH)
- 33 Forced (16 FH, 17 BH)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.5

(Note 1: all half-volleys refer to such shots played at net. Half -volleys played from other parts of the court are included within relevant groundstroke counts)

(Note 2: The 'Unforced Error Forcefulness Index is a measure of how aggressive of intent the average UE made was. 60 is maximum, 20 is minimum. This match has been scored using a four point scale - 2 defensive, 4 neutral, 5 attacking, 6 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Federer was 30/50 (60%) at net, including 9/15 (60%) serve-volleying - all first serve points

Nadal was 20/27 (74%) at net, including 2/3 (66%) serve-volleying - all first serve points
He was 2/3 when forced back from net
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Match Report
A fantastic - and unfortunately underrated match, overshadowed as it has become by the hype around the 2008 final (https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...nadal-vs-federer-wimbledon-final-2008.632647/). That match deserves its hype - its first class in every way - but this one is no less so, and deserves more (and I think the hype around 2008 is largely based on what happened in this 2007 encounter)

Its natural to mainly remember the ending... and the ending of this is Federer spectacularly raising his game and rampaging his way to a win, similar to Australian Open 2017 (https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...erer-australian-open-finals-2009-2017.632715/). Overall, however, there's nothing between the two men. If anything, I think Nadal shades Federer

In 2008, the loser Federer had break points in 8 games, to the winner Nadal's 5
Here, the loser Nadal had break points in 7 games, to the winner Federer's 4

A difference is that in 2008, the loser Federer squandered his chances with meek errors. Here, Nadal's extra chances are mostly erased by good play by his opponent.

Play is just about even for the first 3 sets. Federer plays two wonderful tie-breaks - filled with strong serves and aggressive shot making - to win the 1st and 3rd. Nadal plays a wonderful game break and take the 2nd - the points he wins include a drop BHV, a BH pass played as he falls to the ground and another BH pass on set point

In the 4th set, Nadal dishes out one of the most severing beatings I've seen Federer take on any court - but especially grass. I remember being stunned when watching this at the time... I didn't think the Spaniard had it in him to thrash the silky smooth Swiss like this on a grass court

The momentum is with Nadal going into the decider... and Fed falls 15-40 behind on back to back service games. But he steps up with a service winner and a forced return error. Nadal falters a bit too - missing a second serve return (of a good, not easy to return serve) and a hasty, winner attempt error... but still, I'd mostly credit Fed for these key points.

Afterwards, its all Fed, as he raises his game a notch and takes the racquet out of Nadal's hand

Statistical Points of Interest
In any matches between these two (for the most part, even on clay) - one would expect Federer to have more winners and Nadal fewer errors.

In this one, Nadal wins in both categories... in winners in play 48 to 40, in unforced errors in play, 32 to 47.... Fed's saving grace is unreturned serves (37% to 20%)

Note Federer's service numbers... 71% first serve percentage from a player like Federer usually means his opponent is in for a world of pain.... credit to Nadal for working the Swiss over when he could get the serve back and credit to Federer for serving so consistently

On an interpretive note, I thought Federer could have done more on return. Nadal himself served at 70%.... but his serve is obviously not all that formidable (and wholly predictable - 85% directed to the BH). Now Nadal "only" won 68% of his first serve points (which doesn't seem too high, especially on grass), but a potent 58% off second serve points too.... as I recall the state of affairs at the time, I think Federer had the ability to take it more to Nadal's serve

Summing up, first rate match from both players, winning and losing virtually a flip-of-the-coin deal... an extraordinary final set from Federer to give him the win

Stats for their '08 final - https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...nadal-vs-federer-wimbledon-final-2008.632647/

 

[BGod]

Fed's tiebreak prowess has really served him well in his career. Not unlike Sampras. I see the 3/8 BPs but he got 2 of those in the decider. He held serve early and Nadal caved in. Fed was really vlose to losing this match and obviously can't look at everything the same but I mean that's a 2 titles swing so who knows maybe Fed is at 19 Slams and Nadal at 18.

 

[ForehandCross]

A fantastic - and unfortunately underrated match, overshadowed as it has become by the hype around the 2008 final (https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...nadal-vs-federer-wimbledon-final-2008.632647/). That match deserves its hype - its first class in every way - but this one is no less so, and deserves more (and I think the hype around 2008 is largely based on what happened in this 2007 encounter)

Saying what I have always believed 2007>= 2008.

 

[ForehandCross]

Bump once more.

 

[BackhandDTL]

Nadal was too aggressive, should have played it safer in some moments and let Fed shoot himself in the foot more with his exploitable BH

 

[King No1e]

Nadal was too aggressive, should have played it safer in some moments and let Fed shoot himself in the foot more with his exploitable BH

Took me a few looks at your post to realize you're not abmk

 

[BackhandDTL]

Took me a few looks at your post to realize you're not abmk

Yeah. I changed it back to MURY (PETE) to avoid confusion

 

[Milanez82]

Interesting that Rafa had more winners in play and even more interesting that in 08 Fed had almost double fh winners then in 07

 

[DSH]

Federer won 6 of the 7 TB they have faced in their four meetings at Wimbledon.
Coincidence? I do not think so!

 

[mike danny]

Interesting that Rafa had more winners in play and even more interesting that in 08 Fed had almost double fh winners then in 07

Well, the 2008 match was longer.

 

[mike danny]

Federer won 6 of the 7 TB they have faced in their four meetings at Wimbledon.
Coincidence? I do not think so!

Back when he was actually a good tiebreak player against the top guys. People forget that.

 

[Jonesy]

Interesting that Rafa had more winners in play and even more interesting that in 08 Fed had almost double fh winners then in 07

What does it tell us?

 

[TheFifthSet]

Incredibly underrated match indeed, the 6-2 scoreliine in the 5th doesn’t do its quality justice…dramatic moments early on, with Nadal’s opportunities thwarted by impeccable play from Fed and followed up by a nonpareil return game. My own write-up on that 5th set:

If Federer drops that fifth set in ‘07, his accomplishments are worse but Nadal ends up looking like a better opponent and the ‘weak era’ ends a year early. Instead, Federer won it, playing sublime tennis from BP down. Of the 4 break points Federer fended off early in the deciding set, all of them were either saved with an unreturnable serve or after engaging in a very tense rally (one of which included a *********-tightening defensive forehand after a very heavy Nadal fh.)

Then to break, Federer played one of the best return games of his life, hitting a passing shot winner down the line, then two forehand winners to win the game. Nadal played the break point exceptionally, first guiding a deep backhand that caught the outside of the line, then another blistering BH to Federer's one hander that should have induced a weak reply. Instead, Federer hit one of the more incredible backhand slices he has ever hit given the circumstance, and the ball had so much underspin that it barely bounced on Nadals side, allowing Federer to massage an I/I forehand winner that hit the chalk to seal it.

After that followed a love service game with two aces and an unreturnable, then another break to cap the match.

 

[RS]

Incredibly underrated match indeed, the 6-2 scoreliine in the 5th doesn’t do its quality justice…dramatic moments early on, with Nadal’s opportunities thwarted by impeccable play from Fed and followed up by a nonpareil return game. My own write-up on that 5th set:

I doubt the 2007 final was underrated with the amount of people that rate it among the best matches they have seen.

 

[Third Serve]

Incredibly underrated match indeed, the 6-2 scoreliine in the 5th doesn’t do its quality justice…dramatic moments early on, with Nadal’s opportunities thwarted by impeccable play from Fed and followed up by a nonpareil return game. My own write-up on that 5th set:

This match probably isn’t underrated anymore, at least on TTW.

Every thread about it has at least 2-3 people talking about how underrated it is lol. I mean, I do agree with the sentiment that it’s a higher quality match than the 2008 final and probably the highest-quality Wimbledon final of all time, but that’s become more of a popular opinion lately.

 

[NatF]

This match probably isn’t underrated anymore, at least on TTW.

Every thread about it has at least 2-3 people talking about how underrated it is lol. I mean, I do agree with the sentiment that it’s a higher quality match than the 2008 final and probably the highest-quality Wimbledon final of all time, but that’s become more of a popular opinion lately.

It's probably underrated in the mainstream media.

 

[PMChambers]

2007 was about the tennis and quality
2008 was about the excitement and tension.

2007>2008 for everything barr the drama.
2008 was over hyped mainly because Feds 5x run was stopped and Wim was looking like cake walk up until 2007. Also Nadal was pure clay courter so shouldn't be there in final.
{Borg was great on carpet, indoor and fast HC / Wood}

 

[Phenomenal]

Together with 2018 SF, I haven't seen Nadal played better match and lost. Nadal was the better player for most of the match until fifth even the half of it. Federer was only better in the 5th. Served well and he was quite clutch.

Nadal was very agressive, FH was great as usual but i liked his BH specially in this match.

For some reason Nadal is more agressive on grass than HC during those years.

 

[Third Serve]

Probably Fed’s clutchest serving performance.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Just a TB away from another Wimby.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Just a TB away from another Wimby.

Think how we Fed fans feel about 2019 Wimbledon. One point away....

 

[jl809]

This was imo equally as impressive a performance against Federer at Wimbledon as 2008 and 2015 were. It is the one Nadal should have won and would have been more well received than 08 in hindsight on this site too. But 08 had all the other stuff around it and the rain and the darkness etc.

06/07dal would have absolutely crushed any Wimbledon post 2015

 

[nolefam_2024]

Just 72% first serve pts won by Fed, really hopeless.

 

[Vincent-C]

Think how we Fed fans feel about 2019 Wimbledon. One point away....

Gaahh! Did you have to bring it up?