Playing Fedal

[Deleted member 688153]

The names Federer and Nadal mean so much to tennis individually, but together, the two names mean even more.

Two very different personalities, playing styles, and signature tournaments.
Fedal means something special.

Say I was a journeyman, #100 in the world, and before the 1R of the AO I looked over the drawsheet.

I would be praying that next to my name I would not see, more than anyone else, R. Federer or R. Nadal.
More than any other, these two have created a strong impression on the game and all those who have played it over the last decade.
To see either of them next to your name is to experience both great fear and great admiration at once.

For two very different, yet, very similar things will occur depending on who I draw.

I look at the sheet - Beside my name, it says R. Federer.
At once I know the following: That I will be playing on the Centre Court, that this will be the most significant match of my life, and that I will lose.
I would have spent my teenage years with a poster of this man on the back of my bedroom door, and now the task before me is to defeat him in a professional tennis match.
As this akin to trying to defeat tennis itself, I naturally ponder withdrawing from the tournament.
Anything I try will be outdone three times over by Federer just to prove he can.
If I give him an inch, he will give me a bagel in return.
All I can do is play my absolute best and watch as he wins every point in ways I didn't even know were possible.
2-6 0-6 1-6. I return to the locker room, still hoping Fed wins the tournament, as like most of my ATP friends, I am a fan.

I look again - Beside my name is written R. Nadal.
Just like with Federer, I know that I will be trying to defeat three figures on the court come the day of the match: Nadal himself, his legend, and the millions of screaming fans who will be watching (for him).
Unlike Federer however, whose goal is to win every point, Nadal's goal is to prevent me from winning any.
The sheer weight and power of every shot pushes me helplessly around the court causing me to commit error after error.
It's like trying to play a brick wall - every ball comes back, and with interest.
Then, just as I think I have him out of position, he hits some crazy shot, on full stretch, which curves around the net and lands in on the corner of the court.
The crowd erupts as Nadal continues to embarrass me, differently, yet equally to what Federer did.
1-6 1-6 1-6, and it wasn't as close as the scoreline suggests.

And I thought playing Raonic was tough.

______________________________________

Federer is an artist, a virtuoso, and a true Master of his craft.
He has gone above the level of player and is instead a creator.
He is a religious experience.
R. Federer is a way of life.

Nadal is a battle-hardened Warrior who does not know how to lose.
He looks at Federer, and where most see perfection, he sees flaws to be exploited.
He smells fear and weakness and grinds those who show them into the dirt.
He treats tennis like a war, where the fittest and most determined win.
He took the rock of tennis, pushed it up the mountain, and carved himself into it.
R. Nadal takes your way of life and makes it his.

______________________________________

I am tempted to say they are equals.
Federer is the GOAT, of which there can be little doubt.
Nadal may be the BOAT (Best of All Time) however.

So there they are, sitting atop the mountain together, good friends.
Tennis is what it is at the moment because of these two demi-gods.

Also I think I might be a Fedal fan now.

 

[Bruen]

The names Federer and Nadal mean so much to tennis individually, but together, the two names mean even more.

Two very different personalities, playing styles, and signature tournaments.
Fedal means something special.

Say I was a journeyman, #100 in the world, and before the 1R of the AO I looked over the drawsheet.

I would be praying that next to my name I would not see, more than anyone else, R. Federer or R. Nadal.
More than any other, these two have created a strong impression on the game and all those who have played it over the last decade.
To see either of them next to your name is to experience both great fear and great admiration at once.

For two very different, yet, very similar things will occur depending on who I draw.

I look at the sheet - Beside my name, it says R. Federer.
At once I know the following: That I will be playing on the Centre Court, that this will be the most significant match of my life, and that I will lose.
I would have spent my teenage years with a poster of this man on the back of my bedroom door, and now the task before me is to defeat him in a professional tennis match.
As this akin to trying to defeat tennis itself, I naturally ponder withdrawing from the tournament.
Anything I try will be outdone three times over by Federer just to prove he can.
If I give him an inch, he will give me a bagel in return.
All I can do is play my absolute best and watch as he wins every point in ways I didn't even know were possible.
2-6 0-6 1-6. I return to the locker room, still hoping Fed wins the tournament, as like most of my ATP friends, I am a fan.

I look again - Beside my name is written R. Nadal.
Just like with Federer, I know that I will be trying to defeat three figures on the court come the day of the match: Nadal himself, his legend, and the millions of screaming fans who will be watching (for him).
Unlike Federer however, whose goal is to win every point, Nadal's goal is to prevent me from winning any.
The sheer weight and power of every shot pushes me helplessly around the court causing me to commit error after error.
It's like trying to play a brick wall - every ball comes back, and with interest.
Then, just as I think I have him out of position, he hits some crazy shot, on full stretch, which curves around the net and lands in on the corner of the court.
The crowd erupts as Nadal continues to embarrass me, differently, yet equally to what Federer did.
1-6 1-6 1-6, and it wasn't as close as the scoreline suggests.

And I thought playing Raonic was tough.

______________________________________

Federer is an artist, a virtuoso, and a true Master of his craft.
He has gone above the level of player and is instead a creator.
He is a religious experience.
R. Federer is a way of life.

Nadal is a battle-hardened Warrior who does not know how to lose.
He looks at Federer, and where most see perfection, he sees flaws to be exploited.
He smells fear and weakness and grinds those who show them into the dirt.
He treats tennis like a war, where the fittest and most determined win.
He took the rock of tennis, pushed it up the mountain, and carved himself into it.
R. Nadal takes your way of life and makes it his.

______________________________________

I am tempted to say they are equals.
Federer is the GOAT, of which there can be little doubt.
Nadal may be the BOAT (Best of All Time) however.

So there they are, sitting atop the mountain together, good friends.
Tennis is what it is at the moment because of these two demi-gods.

Also I think I might be a Fedal fan now.

Wow! That was a nice read. Do you mind if I take the "Fed is life, Nadal takes your life" thing and make it my signature?

 

[Deleted member 688153]

Wow! That was a nice read. Do you mind if I take the "Fed is life, Nadal takes your life" thing and make it my signature?

Go for it, although I think I worded it poorly.

Thanks btw!

 

[MichaelNadal]

I don't get Fed fans and their whole religious experience, otherworldly deity stuff :lol: Exactly the reason I prefer Nadal. Give me the exciting warrior that doesn't need worship instead please. I can't imagine watching tennis with someone that wasn't into it and going ooh look at his backhand swing, it's so pretty! What a pretty volley! Otherwise, nice thread.

Each to his own, although I like both really.

Of course. I like him too, I just don't get why you guys are so into the worship and perfection etc etc. I don't see how it's as exciting I guess. But, we're 2 different people so it just goes back to each to his own.

 

[Deleted member 688153]

I don't get Fed fans and their whole religious experience, otherworldly deity stuff :lol: Exactly the reason I prefer Nadal. Give me the exciting warrior instead that doesn't need worship please. Otherwise, nice thread.

Each to his own, although I like both really.

 

[NatF]

I don't get Fed fans and their whole religious experience, otherworldly deity stuff :lol: Exactly the reason I prefer Nadal. Give me the exciting warrior that doesn't need worship instead please. I can't imagine watching tennis with someone that wasn't into it and going ooh look at his backhand swing, it's so pretty! What a pretty volley! Otherwise, nice thread.



Of course. I like him too, I just don't get why you guys are so into the worship and perfection etc etc. I don't see how it's as exciting I guess. But, we're 2 different people so it just goes back to each to his own.

I don't get the worship stuff either. I just love the shotmaking.

 

[MichaelNadal]

"If I give him an inch, he will give me a bagel in return"

now that was a good line :lol:

 

[Deleted member 688153]

I don't get the worship stuff either. I just love the shotmaking.

You've got it all wrong.
The worship is the best bit.

Federer is an experience.

 

[Sysyphus]

You've got it all wrong.
The worship is the best bit.

Federer is an experience.

Lol, would actually agree with this. As long as it is done with a humorous element. David Foster Wallace's famous article "Federer as Religious Experience" describes this feeling in a good way.

The specific thesis here is that if you’ve never seen the young man play live, and then do, in person, on the sacred grass of Wimbledon, through the literally withering heat and then wind and rain of the ’06 fortnight, then you are apt to have what one of the tournament’s press bus drivers describes as a “bloody near-religious experience.” It may be tempting, at first, to hear a phrase like this as just one more of the overheated tropes that people resort to to describe the feeling of Federer Moments. But the driver’s phrase turns out to be true — literally, for an instant ecstatically — though it takes some time and serious watching to see this truth emerge.

Also, fun thread OP

 

[Deleted member 688153]

Lol, would actually agree with this. As long as it is done with a humorous element. David Foster Wallace's famous article "Federer as Religious Experience" describes this feeling in a good way.



Also, fun thread OP

Oh yes, all in good fun of course.

That article is excellent too, sums up the Federer (TM) Experience well.

 

[spirit95]

I would be praying that next to my name I would not see, more than anyone else, R. Federer or R. Nadal.

That would be the first thing I would want to see. An opportunity to play the GOAT of my sport? I'd love it.

 

[Gonzalito17]

Facing Federer is a good book. Facing Nadal is coming out this year.

 

[La_Para]

Well done OP, well done

One of the biggest rivalries in recent times and they've made the sport so much better. I absolutely agree, they've raised the popularity and appeal of tennis to a whole new level. Two completely different players who add to the sport in their own unique way. They're legends, you have to respect them.

It's funny you talk about them being a viruoso and a warrior. I was recently watching Nadal/Federer Best forehands in grand slams, when I looked at Nadal it looked like he was handling a broadsword, with Federer I thought of someone handling a rapier/sabre. So different yet both so deadly.

I like em both

 

[Deleted member 688153]

That would be the first thing I would want to see. An opportunity to play the GOAT of my sport? I'd love it.

I'm sure Millman enjoyed it last night as a matter of fact.
He played well and seemed to relish the challenge.

 

[RF-18]

Have you written this yourself? If thats the case: Bravo! You are very talented. Beautiful.

 

[mule250]

That would be the first thing I would want to see. An opportunity to play the GOAT of my sport? I'd love it.

Not for a journeyman in a GS, getting to the second round can pay a lot of your bills for the year. Obviously if u do draw one of them u have to make the best of it, but still obviously hoping for an easier match.

 

[Deleted member 688153]

Have you written this yourself? If thats the case: Bravo! You are very talented. Beautiful.

Thank you very much!

I am very bored at the moment, having had no school or lessons for about ten weeks.

 

[zep]

Looks like a good thread. I am going to bed now. Will read it later and let you know my frank opinion.

 

[Deleted member 688153]

Example of what I'm talking about just finished in Brisbane.

Federer 6-0 6-1.

It must be so daunting for lower-ranked players to encounter Fedal.

 

[jg153040]

Good thread. Loved it. Yeah, Nadal may be the best of all time, meaning the highest level of all time. Greatest usually means achievements.

His clay level is arguably the highest level of tennis anyone has produced in history.

But, peak Fed on grass and HC comes very close.

 

[okdude1992]

Example of what I'm talking about just finished in Brisbane.

Federer 6-0 6-1.

It must be so daunting for lower-ranked players to encounter Fedal.

Well it depends what kind of mood Fedal are in, and also the mental state of the journeyman in question. Millman unlike Duckworth, clearly wasn't afraid of Federer and actually thought he could win. He put up a great fight.

Also if I was a journeyman I would be pretty scared to face Djokovic as well. The last few years he's been extremely stingy in the early rounds, dishing out bagels and breadsticks left and right.

Nice writing btw. A fun thread!

 

[Deleted member 688153]

Good thread. Loved it. Yeah, Nadal may be the best of all time, meaning the highest level of all time. Greatest usually means achievements.

His clay level is arguably the highest level of tennis anyone has produced in history.

But, peak Fed on grass and HC comes very close.

Federer was using cheat codes from 04-07.
The devs were experimenting in that period and decided to add a new Special Character to the game, R_Federer.

In 2004, they initially set its PlayerLevel to 99999 (04 USO F), but quickly nerfed it once they realised this would prevent other Top 10 opponents from even being able to win individual games.

They left R_Federer with enough stats during 05-07 that it would still win everything in sight, but would surrender sets sometimes, as people were accusing the devs of introducing an overpowered boss.

The devs added R_Nadal to quash these complaints, but ordinary players still found themselves helpless.


In all honesty, during those years, making 99% of ATP players play Federer was cruel and unusual punishment.

 

[Deleted member 307496]

Looks like a good thread. I am going to bed now. Will read it later and let you know my frank opinion.

Please don't.

 

[Amalhotra]

Very enjoyable read buddy