The start of the Fedal (later big-3) era

[MichaelNadal]

So much we didn't see coming or know coming into this match. Not only was it epic af, but this was the real start of Nadal being Nadal. Just over a week later he would start his RIDICULOUS run of being undefeated on clay that would last until 2007. After their first meeting being a year before and Federer losing the first match, I'm sure he did not expect a tough 5-setter and was probably looking to smash Nadal like a wasp, but ended up in a dogfight and almost losing again. Rafa would go on to win their next 5 matches, in which time Federer became the king of grass and Nadal became the king of clay. Federer would win every slam from here out, only losing to Nadal until the 2008 AO semi against Novak. That match would kick us into the big 3 era. We will never have anything like this in our lifetimes again. We had best ever player on grass, best ever on clay, and best ever on HC all at the same time. And you could say it all started here

 

[DSH]

Ah, the match where Nadal was robbed.
"What a pleasant memory"!

 

[MichaelNadal]

Ah, the match where Nadal was robbed.
"What a pleasant memory"!

Nadal deserves at least 2 Miami titles

 

[Sport]

Prime example of Federer's relatively weak mentality.

How on Earth did this match went to 5 sets? Nadal in 2005 virtually only had velocity and defense on hard. His game was so immature and underdeveloped on the surface, as Rafa was merely putting balls back in play, and yet 2005 "peak" Federer got rigid and tense whenever he faced Rafa. With his almost impeccable game for hard courts (A serve, A+ forehand, A mobility, A shot tolerance, A net game, A+ aggresiveness, A+ creativiy, B- backhand) Roger should've taken this in straights.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Prime example of Federer's relatively weak mentality.

How on Earth did this match went to 5 sets? Nadal in 2005 virtually only had velocity and defense on hard. His game was so immature and underdeveloped on the surface, as Rafa was merely putting balls back in play, and yet 2005 "peak" Federer got rigid and tense whenever he faced Rafa. With his almost impeccable game for hard courts (A serve, A+ forehand, A mobility, A shot tolerance, A net game, A+ aggresiveness, A+ creativiy, B- backhand) Roger should've taken this in straights.

I guarantee you that’s not how Federer felt lol

 

[TheGoldenEra1990’s]

almost 20 years ago and that shotmaking and level is superior to anything we see now. And Nadal was still in diapers Yeesh. You can’t watch fedal matches back then (even Nadal being pre prime) and think the level of tennis is anywhere near that today

 

[duaneeo]

So much we didn't see coming or know coming into this match. Not only was it epic af, but this was the real start of Nadal being Nadal. Just over a week later he would start his RIDICULOUS run of being undefeated on clay that would last until 2007. After their first meeting being a year before and Federer losing the first match, I'm sure he did not expect a tough 5-setter and was probably looking to smash Nadal like a wasp, but ended up in a dogfight and almost losing again. Rafa would go on to win their next 5 matches, in which time Federer became the king of grass and Nadal became the king of clay. Federer would win every slam from here out, only losing to Nadal until the 2008 AO semi against Novak. That match would kick us into the big 3 era.

2008-2010 Nole doesn't have the results to change that period from the fedal era to the big-3 era.

 

[BauerAlmeida]

Ah, the match where Nadal was robbed.
"What a pleasant memory"!

There was a call in the 3rd that Nadal was robbed, but one or two games earlier there was an important call against Fed.

This was was the last year before Hawk-Eye.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Prime example of Federer's relatively weak mentality.

How on Earth did this match went to 5 sets? Nadal in 2005 virtually only had velocity and defense on hard. His game was so immature and underdeveloped on the surface, as Rafa was merely putting balls back in play, and yet 2005 "peak" Federer got rigid and tense whenever he faced Rafa. With his almost impeccable game for hard courts (A serve, A+ forehand, A mobility, A shot tolerance, A net game, A+ aggresiveness, A+ creativiy, B- backhand) Roger should've taken this in straights.

Both the guys actually got better. It's true. Nadal got far more better.

 

[MichaelNadal]

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[MeatTornado]

Both those trophies were a downgrade over time

 

[MichaelNadal]

Both those trophies were a downgrade over time

Looking like dollar tree vases Lol

 

[Tshooter]

So much we didn't see coming or know coming into this match. Not only was it epic af, but this was the real start of Nadal being Nadal. Just over a week later he would start his RIDICULOUS run of being undefeated on clay that would last until 2007. After their first meeting being a year before and Federer losing the first match, I'm sure he did not expect a tough 5-setter and was probably looking to smash Nadal like a wasp, but ended up in a dogfight and almost losing again. Rafa would go on to win their next 5 matches, in which time Federer became the king of grass and Nadal became the king of clay. Federer would win every slam from here out, only losing to Nadal until the 2008 AO semi against Novak. That match would kick us into the big 3 era. We will never have anything like this in our lifetimes again. We had best ever player on grass, best ever on clay, and best ever on HC all at the same time. And you could say it all started here

You could also say it started one year earlier when they first played and he stomped FEDR in straights.

 

[MichaelNadal]

You could also say it started one year earlier when they first played and he stomped FEDR in straights.

Technically, but I don’t think Federer took Nadal seriously until this match. He was way too good in 04 to think anything besides Nadal was lucky.

 

[Tshooter]

Technically, but I don’t think Federer took Nadal seriously until this match. He was way too good in 04 to think anything besides Nadal was lucky.

If FEDR didn‘t take the young Bulldal seriously after that ass-kicking in 2004 than he was acting as crazy as post-Nardi Egg.

 

[Sputnik Bulgorov]

Prime example of Federer's relatively weak mentality.

How on Earth did this match went to 5 sets? Nadal in 2005 virtually only had velocity and defense on hard. His game was so immature and underdeveloped on the surface, as Rafa was merely putting balls back in play, and yet 2005 "peak" Federer got rigid and tense whenever he faced Rafa. With his almost impeccable game for hard courts (A serve, A+ forehand, A mobility, A shot tolerance, A net game, A+ aggresiveness, A+ creativiy, B- backhand) Roger should've taken this in straights.

Weak mentality is a complete oversimplification. The mental baggage wasnt there yet at this point. It goes to show just how much Nadal’s game bothered Federer from the very beginning. Here’s what Federer had to say about Nadal after he got blitzed the first time in Miami 2004.

“He doesn't hit the ball flat and hard. It's more with a lot of spin, which makes the ball bounce high, and that's a struggle I had today. I tried to get out of it, but kind of couldn't.”

It was a foreshadowing of things to come.

 

[Tshooter]

Weak mentality is a complete oversimplification. The mental baggage wasnt there yet at this point. It goes to show just how much Nadal’s game bothered Federer from the very beginning. Here’s what Federer had to say about Nadal after he got blitzed the first time in Miami 2004.

“He doesn't hit the ball flat and hard. It's more with a lot of spin, which makes the ball bounce high, and that's a struggle I had today. I tried to get out of it, but kind of couldn't.”

It was a foreshadowing of things to come.

I hit topspin to the backhand, no?

 

[Tshooter]

.

 

[Sputnik Bulgorov]

It wasn’t just the speed that bothered Federer. Nadal’s entire game generally matched up very well with Federer, and he could lock Fed into some very unfavorable playing patterns from the very beginning. Federer had this to say after the match:

“He doesn't hit the ball flat and hard. It's more with a lot of spin, which makes the ball bounce high, and that's a struggle I had today. I tried to get out of it, but kind of couldn't.”

Federer never had easy matches vs Nadal outside the WTF, even when he won. Strangely enough, the first time he had a straight sets win outside the WTF was in 2009 Madrid, on clay of all surfaces, a full 5 years after their first meeting.

 

[DSH]

It wasn’t just the speed that bothered Federer. Nadal’s entire game generally matched up very well with Federer, and he could lock Fed into some very unfavorable playing patterns from the very beginning. Federer had this to say after the match:

“He doesn't hit the ball flat and hard. It's more with a lot of spin, which makes the ball bounce high, and that's a struggle I had today. I tried to get out of it, but kind of couldn't.”

Federer never had easy matches vs Nadal outside the WTF, even when he won. Strangely enough, the first time he had a straight sets win outside the WTF was in 2009 Madrid, on clay of all surfaces, a full 5 years after their first meeting.

Of course, a day after having played a 4-hour match marathon against Djokovic.
Despite that, it was a worthy performance of Nadal in the 2009 Madrid final.

 

[Sputnik Bulgorov]

Of course, a day after having played a 4-hour match marathon against Djokovic.
Despite that, it was a worthy performance of Nadal in the 2009 Madrid final.

Federer needed the advantage. At that point, while he could clutch out a set as we saw in 2011, he simply wasn’t beating Nadal on clay otherwise. Tbh, I thought Nadal would still beat him the way he did earlier that year in the AO after the 5 hour match with Verdasco, but a day wasn’t enough to recover even for young Nadal. He returned the favor the next year in the 2010 final.