Match Stats/Report - Nadal vs Federer, Miami third round, 2004

[Waspsting]

Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer 6-3, 6-3 in the Miami third round/round of 32, 2004 on hard court

It was the first singles meeting between the pair and they had played doubles against one another at the previous tournament in Indian Wells (Nadal and Tommy Robredo had beaten Federer and Yves Allegro). Federer was world number 1 and had recently won Australian Open and Indian Wells. Nadal was 17 years old and seeded 32

Nadal won 58 points, Federer 46

Serve Stats
Nadal...
- 1st serve percentage (39/48) 81%
- 1st serve points won (31/39) 79%
- 2nd serve points won (5/9) 56%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (9/48) 19%

Federer...
- 1st serve percentage (34/56) 61%
- 1st serve points won (21/34) 62%
- 2nd serve points won (13/22) 59%
- Aces 8
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (16/56) 29%

Serve Pattern
Nadal served...
- to FH 30%
- to BH 54%
- to Body 15%

Federer served...
- to FH 26%
- to BH 65%
- to Body 9%

Return Stats
Nadal made...
- 38 (14 FH, 24 BH), including 2 runaround FHs
- 2 Winners (2 FH)
- 8 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (2 FH, 2 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 4 Forced (1 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (38/54) 70%

Federer made...
- 37 (14 FH, 23 BH), including 2 runaround FHs
- 8 Errors, comprising...
- 5 Unforced (2 FH, 3 BH)
- 3 Forced (3 FH)
- Return Rate (37/46) 80%

Break Points
Nadal 3/7 (4 games)
Federer 0

Winners (including returns, excluding aces)
Nadal 13 (5 FH, 3 BH, 3 FHV, 2 OH)
Federer 11 (9 FH, 1 BH, 1 OH)

Nadal's FHs - 1 cc, 1 dtl return, 1 inside-out return, 1 longline pass and 1 drop shot (inside-out)
- BHs - 3 cc (1 pass, 1 at net)

Federer's FHs - 4 cc, 2 dtl, 2 inside-out and 1 inside-in
- BH pass - 1 cc

- the OH was the first volley off a serve-volley point

Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Nadal 17
- 15 Unforced (4 FH, 11 BH)
- 2 Forced (2 BH)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.3

Federer 34
- 19 Unforced (14 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV)
- 15 Forced (8 FH, 4 BH, 3 FHV)… including 1 FH running-down-drop-volley at net
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.4

(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 an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented for these two matches are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Nadal was...
- 13/14 (93%) at net

Federer was...
- 4/12 (33%) at net, including...
- 2/3 (67%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves

Match Report
Historic for being the first meeting between the two. Impressive from the young Nadal as he essentially overpowers Federer from the back of the court, which plays on the slow side of normal - faster than typical Miami standard

Key difference is an odd one and not one that was often repeated in the pair's matches; Forced errors - Nadal 2, Federer 15. The other surprise stat are net points; Nadal 13/14 @ 93%, Federer 4/12 @ 33%

Serve & Return
Federer's overall numbers are respectable. 61% first serves in (good), 62% first serve points won (not bad in slow-ish conditions) and 59% second serve points won (very good). Nadal though has first class numbers of 81% first serves in, winning 79% such points. Behind this is a problem that would come to plague Federer - not doing much with the return against a relatively ordinary serve

Nadal's serve is quite ordinary and not difficult to neutralize. He mixes it up of direction and type, but little he sends down is much of a challenge. Nor is Fed challenged to make the return as he puts 80% of them back in play

On top of consistency, Fed's not unduly passive with the return, i.e. he's not chipping BHs. Gives the BH returns a short swing. The third ball his returns tend to leave Nadal require initiative for the server to take charge off - and Nadal is up to it

On flip side, usual good serving from Federer, especially off placement. 8 aces is a decent number (Nadal has 1), and unreturned rate of 29% an ample head start in the conditions (Nadal 19%)

Nadal returns from orthodox position and hits harder than he was to come to do. Some good, hard hitting returns. He hits back to back FH winners at one point. Still, nothing too worrying for Fed. He also draws a number of short returns - even with the second serve - and is prepared to launch into them with FHs

Considerable advantage to Federer on the serve-return complex

 

[Waspsting]

Play - Baseline & Net
Nadal is a lot more offense minded then he'd come to be, in a power-hitting, beat down sort of way (as opposed to putting heavy balls in play with great consistency style that came to characterize his play). Off both wings

In first set in particular, his BH is unstable and erratic looking, which is strange to see. Fed wins a lot of points in who-blinks-first Fed FH - Nadal BH rallies, not a small chunk of them with Nadal going for dtl attacking shots or even winner attempts. These two shots prove to be the most unreliable in the match. On UEs, Fed's FH yields a match high 14, Nadal's BH 11

Most of Fed's FHs are winner attempts and attacking shots of the third ball (most of his match high 9 FH winners are the same), while Nadal's BH is just loose. In the first set anyway

In second set, Nadal tightens up on BH errors and cc exchanges with Fed's FH are about 50-50, both hitting with authority, Nadal maybe a touch more

The FH is still Nadal's killer weapon. Most Fed's 15 FEs come against it... strong balls with good variety moving Fed around or pushing him back with combinations of cc, inside-in and inside-out. There's no significant issue coming out of Nadal FH - Fed BH rallies. Nadal tends to get the better of them, but not unduly. Its not even a question of Fed's BH 'holding up', which would imply its the lesser shot... its about a 50-50 tussle. On the UE front, Nadal's FH has 4, Fed's BH 3. Nadal's shot is a lot more damaging though. Fed's is just a rallying stroke

Another thing Nadal does particularly well which is not part the game he'd come to develop is attack the net. He dashes forward after particularly strong shots that push Fed back or wide... and invariably wins. Couple of good, drop winners among the 3 FHVs... and all but 1 of 14 approaches won. By contrast, its an area Fed fails badly in. There's a couple of straightforward FHV misses to high balls and open-ish court. Also some good passing from Nadal - particularly an almost impossible FH get that's the decisive point of the second set. Fed does the same thing Nadal does - come in when in charge of points, but can't execute or is thwarted up there

Fed's attack is one dimensional. Wins a lot of points via unreturned serves - including an impressive 8 aces - and looks for the FH winner of the third ball. Kill or die stuff in a stroke. He misses 6 attempts at winners (Nadal misses 3), to go along with 11 winners

He has little in the way of effective, moderate attacking plays. Some credit to Nadal for retrieving and coping with what he's faced with, but more a negative on Fed's attacking patterns. Its not an out-and-out shot making court. Having to hit winners or wait for Nadal errors to win points as he does in the absence of being able to force next to nothing out of Nadal (who has just 2 FEs) isn't a great approach

This is also due in part to Nadal being stronger of shot in neutral rallies. Both have exactly 7 neutral UEs and Fed has just 1 more attacking one... so there's nothing in it of consistency. But Nadal hits the heavier and stronger shots. Fed defends reasonably well against it, getting defensive shots back in play, but Nadal is relentless in closing out points he's on top in

Match Progression
First set is a craggy, error filled affair. Nadal gains the break in game 5. Fed missing an easy FHV gives Nadal break point (which is saved) and Fed hits an ordinary volley that Nadal's good enough to pound away for BH cc winner a couple of points later. He goes on to break after BH errors form Fed

Fed's under the gun next service game too when Nadal slaps consecutive FH return winners - the first inside-out, the second dtl. Fed replies with consecutive third ball FH winners - the first cc, the second inside-in. Poetically balanced, and Fed holds

Poor game from Fed to be broken a second time to end the set, the last 3 points being a double fault, a FH dtl winner attempt miss and an unwise third ball BH dtl attempt

Some other good points in the set. Nadal wins one with a FH longline passing winner, after having been run all over court. Fed wins his only point with Nadal at net with a perfectly placed BH cc chip - and it had to be perfect to get by. Nadal replies with a delightful FH inside-out drop shot winner, having set up the point with two powerful, pushing Fed back FH inside-outs

Second set is much higher quality from both. Fed's in big serve and third ball winner mode and races through his service games. Nadal bosses Fed about from the baseline and sees it through on his

All but 1 easy hold in the set, and that's a break from 40-0 down for Nadal. From that position, Fed misses 2 third ball FHs - 1 inside-in winner attempt and 1 regulation. Nadal pulls of probably the best shots of the match after that. First, he whacks a BH cc winner against a strong, wide FH cc off Fed's

The point of the match follows. Fed whacks what looks like a point ending FH cc deep into the corner but Nadal manages to run it down and put it back in play. Fed hits an easy FH dtl into open court and casually moves forward... only Nadal turns, runs full speed, reaches the ball on the stretch, somehow slaps the ball. Its a wonder he manages to hit the ball so hard with scarcely a flick-slap with no backswing FH, but its a strong shot and Fed can't handle the tough, low, wide FHV it gives him. Even if he had, Nadal's recovered to be ready to deal with it. And Fed misses another third ball FH to give up the break

Summing up, hard hitting showing from Nadal, who's the stronger player in neutral baseline situations and turns it on to attacking appropriately from there. While holding even of consistency, Fed trails in power and his attacks are limited to unsubtle one-shot deals

Stats for both players first match with Novak Djokovic - https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...okovic-french-open-quarter-final-2006.650310/

 

[MichaelNadal]

So epic

 

[The Guru]

Nice write up

What do you have in the pipeline?

 

[JaoSousa]

Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer 6-3, 6-3 in the Miami third round/round of 32, 2004 on hard court

It was the first singles meeting between the pair and they had played doubles against one another at the previous tournament in Indian Wells (Nadal and Tommy Robredo had beaten Federer and Yves Allegro). Federer was world number 1 and had recently won Australian Open and Indian Wells. Nadal was 17 years old and seeded 32

Nadal won 58 points, Federer 46

Serve Stats
Nadal...
- 1st serve percentage (39/48) 81%
- 1st serve points won (31/39) 79%
- 2nd serve points won (5/9) 56%
- Aces 1
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (9/48) 19%

Federer...
- 1st serve percentage (34/56) 61%
- 1st serve points won (21/34) 62%
- 2nd serve points won (13/22) 59%
- Aces 8
- Double Faults 2
- Unreturned Serve Percentage (16/56) 29%

Serve Pattern
Nadal served...
- to FH 30%
- to BH 54%
- to Body 15%

Federer served...
- to FH 26%
- to BH 65%
- to Body 9%

Return Stats
Nadal made...
- 38 (14 FH, 24 BH), including 2 runaround FHs
- 2 Winners (2 FH)
- 8 Errors, comprising...
- 4 Unforced (2 FH, 2 BH), including 1 runaround FH
- 4 Forced (1 FH, 3 BH)
- Return Rate (38/54) 70%

Federer made...
- 37 (14 FH, 23 BH), including 2 runaround FHs
- 8 Errors, comprising...
- 5 Unforced (2 FH, 3 BH)
- 3 Forced (3 FH)
- Return Rate (37/46) 80%

Break Points
Nadal 3/7 (4 games)
Federer 0

Winners (including returns, excluding aces)
Nadal 13 (5 FH, 3 BH, 3 FHV, 2 OH)
Federer 11 (9 FH, 1 BH, 1 OH)

Nadal's FHs - 1 cc, 1 dtl return, 1 inside-out return, 1 longline pass and 1 drop shot (inside-out)
- BHs - 3 cc (1 pass, 1 at net)

Federer's FHs - 4 cc, 2 dtl, 2 inside-out and 1 inside-in
- BH pass - 1 cc

- the OH was the first volley off a serve-volley point

Errors (excluding returns and serves)
Nadal 17
- 15 Unforced (4 FH, 11 BH)
- 2 Forced (2 BH)
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 47.3

Federer 34
- 19 Unforced (14 FH, 3 BH, 2 FHV)
- 15 Forced (8 FH, 4 BH, 3 FHV)… including 1 FH running-down-drop-volley at net
Unforced Error Forcefulness Index 49.4

(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 an indicator of how aggressive the average UE was. The numbers presented for these two matches are keyed on 4 categories - 20 defensive, 40 neutral, 50 attacking and 60 winner attempt)

Net Points & Serve-Volley
Nadal was...
- 13/14 (93%) at net

Federer was...
- 4/12 (33%) at net, including...
- 2/3 (67%) serve-volleying, all 1st serves

Match Report
Historic for being the first meeting between the two. Impressive from the young Nadal as he essentially overpowers Federer from the back of the court, which plays on the slow side of normal - faster than typical Miami standard

Key difference is an odd one and not one that was often repeated in the pair's matches; Forced errors - Nadal 2, Federer 15. The other surprise stat are net points; Nadal 13/14 @ 93%, Federer 4/12 @ 33%

Serve & Return
Federer's overall numbers are respectable. 61% first serves in (good), 62% first serve points won (not bad in slow-ish conditions) and 59% second serve points won (very good). Nadal though has first class numbers of 81% first serves in, winning 79% such points. Behind this is a problem that would come to plague Federer - not doing much with the return against a relatively ordinary serve

Nadal's serve is quite ordinary and not difficult to neutralize. He mixes it up of direction and type, but little he sends down is much of a challenge. Nor is Fed challenged to make the return as he puts 80% of them back in play

On top of consistency, Fed's not unduly passive with the return, i.e. he's not chipping BHs. Gives the BH returns a short swing. The third ball his returns tend to leave Nadal require initiative for the server to take charge off - and Nadal is up to it

On flip side, usual good serving from Federer, especially off placement. 8 aces is a decent number (Nadal has 1), and unreturned rate of 29% an ample head start in the conditions (Nadal 19%)

Nadal returns from orthodox position and hits harder than he was to come to do. Some good, hard hitting returns. He hits back to back FH winners at one point. Still, nothing too worrying for Fed. He also draws a number of short returns - even with the second serve - and is prepared to launch into them with FHs

Considerable advantage to Federer on the serve-return complex

How many Federer matches do you see where he hits less winners than the opponent?