USO 2004 Federer vs USO 2010 Nadal - who would win?

Who would win?

  • USO 2004 Federer

    Votes: 69 75.0%
  • USO 2010 Nadal

    Votes: 23 25.0%

  • Total voters
    92

Enceladus

Legend
Who would win? The best performance Federer has ever shown at USO was the 2004 final against Hewitt. Is that enough for Nadal?
 

Standaa

G.O.A.T.
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robthai

Hall of Fame
2 things to consider. Would Feds weak backhand be able to hold its own with Nadals forehand? How would Nadal be able to defend against Fed blasting Forehands on a faast surface like the US open when it was green?
 

kevaninho

Hall of Fame
Im a Nadal fan all the way, and I believe the H2H in their career is exactly how their rivalry was. Nadal beat Fed on every surface at their best.
BUT I think Fed at the open would JUST come out on top.
I do think it would obviously be a very close match, probably going the distance.
 

kevaninho

Hall of Fame
2 things to consider. Would Feds weak backhand be able to hold its own with Nadals forehand? How would Nadal be able to defend against Fed blasting Forehands on a faast surface like the US open when it was green?

This is what we need to know then. What year USO court are we talking about also ?
 

mike danny

Bionic Poster
Im a Nadal fan all the way, and I believe the H2H in their career is exactly how their rivalry was. Nadal beat Fed on every surface at their best.
BUT I think Fed at the open would JUST come out on top.
I do think it would obviously be a very close match, probably going the distance.
It depends how you define their best?. How do you know Fed was at his best in 2008-2009?

I'm not saying you are necessarily wrong, but there is no proof that you are right either.
 

Raining hopes

Hall of Fame
Well this would be very close.Federer by a hair


Waiting for somebody to bring up Miami 2004 and pretend that somehow it was on the same planet as USO F.
 

Benben245

Banned
The mistake is being made over and over again that 'peak federer' refers to some point in his athletic prime when in fact such a suggestion is anachronistic. Federer's peak is an oeuvre of style, technique and athletic ability that unfortunately never overlaps.
 

Standaa

G.O.A.T.
Wow people way overrate Nadal of 2010. He lost to tons of nobodies that year. Even at USO he basically faced no one except Djoker 1.0. Fed of 2004 would destroy 2010 Nadal at USO, losing one tight set at most.

Federer made himself look invincible in that final after the two bagels and a fearhand festival, but he wasn’t that good off his BH that day, made a lot of errors off that wing and Nadal would take advanatage of that.

That’s why I think 2006 Masters Cup version Federer in the final against Blake was better, more complete. Really strong off both wings.
 
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Bender

G.O.A.T.
2010 Nadal was pretty good and Fed better, but absolute levels aren’t the only factor to consider.

It comes down to how well Nadal is able to keep the ball away from the Federer forehand.

If Nadal keeps Federer pinned to the backhand, you can make an argument for Nadal.

That said, 60-40 Fed for me. 2013 Nadal was better imo.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Raining hopes

Hall of Fame
Federer made himself look invincible in that final after the two bagels and a fearhand festival, but he wasn’t that good on his BH that day, made a lot of errors from that wing and Nadal would take advanatage of that.

That’s why I think 2006 Masters Cup version Federer in the final against Blake was better, more complete. Really strong off both wings.


Yes and that is why I think it will be close.However, Federer isn't going give Nadal a lot of chances to go to his backhand.Even neutral balls were getting pummeled for winners if they had the misfortune of going Federer Forehand.

But it will be quite a match, a young fearless and much more flamboyant and explosive Fed against Nadal at his best.
 

mike danny

Bionic Poster
Federer made himself look invincible in that final after the two bagels and a fearhand festival, but he wasn’t that good on his BH that day, made a lot of errors from that wing and Nadal would take advanatage of that.

That’s why I think 2006 Masters Cup version Federer in the final against Blake was better, more complete. Really strong off both wings.
With that speed and FH, Nadal would need to do a lot more than just pepper the BH on that faster court.
 

Standaa

G.O.A.T.
With that speed and FH, Nadal would need to do a lot more than just pepper the BH on that faster court.

Fed wasn’t able to run around every BH against Nadal not even during his peak years. In 05-06, Nadal was murdering his backhand, mostly on clay where you have more time to run around your weaker side.
 
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Standaa

G.O.A.T.
Yes and that is why I think it will be close.However, Federer isn't going give Nadal a lot of chances to go to his backhand.Even neutral balls were getting pummeled for winners if they had the misfortune of going Federer Forehand.

But it will be quite a match, a young fearless and much more flamboyant and explosive Fed against Nadal at his best.

These discussions always end up being nothing but frustrating because we will never see that beauty of a match and learn the truth about who would win. But it’s fun anyway.
 

abmk

Bionic Poster
Federer made himself look invincible in that final after the two bagels and a fearhand festival, but he wasn’t that good on his BH that day, made a lot of errors from that wing and Nadal would take advanatage of that.

That’s why I think 2006 Masters Cup version Federer in the final against Blake was better, more complete. Really strong off both wings.

Nope, fed wasn't as great off the FH wing in that YEC 06 final as you are making it out to be. Quite a few UEs.

And certainly nowhere near the monster of the fearhand in the 04 USO final.
 

robthai

Hall of Fame
Im a Nadal fan all the way, and I believe the H2H in their career is exactly how their rivalry was. Nadal beat Fed on every surface at their best.
BUT I think Fed at the open would JUST come out on top.
I do think it would obviously be a very close match, probably going the distance.
If both are at their best, Nadal does not beat Fed on Grass or Indoors. Slow hardcourts and higher bouncing surfaces yes, I give you that but not indoor, grass, or fast hard courts.
 

robthai

Hall of Fame
Feds 04 backhand was quite weak for dealing with heavy topspin. It really struggled against baby Rafa in Miami even though Fed wasnt 100 percent in that match. I think 2010 Nadal wins unless its on the faster green courts. Remember Fed used to struggle with Nadals return and 2010 US open Nadal had a killer serve. 2006 Federer would do better because the backhand was a lot more stable for dealing with heavy spin shots.
 

robthai

Hall of Fame
Nadal stole that 2013 US open. Djokovic couldnt take his chances when he was firmly in control of the match. Then proceeded to choke away.
 

Standaa

G.O.A.T.
Nope, fed wasn't as great off the FH wing in that YEC 06 final as you are making it out to be. Quite a few UEs.

And certainly nowhere near the monster of the fearhand in the 04 USO final.

Federer had less FH unforced errors in 06 MC F than BH UEs in 04 USO F (12/16) and more winners (5/2). And just like his fearhand in the match against Hewitt was the best version of that stroke ever, the same can be said about his backhand in MC F 06, 23/20 on winners. And that side would naturally get more attacked by Nadal so a better backhand seems like an advantage IMO.
 

KINGROGER

G.O.A.T.
I don’t even consider 04 Fed best there, 06 was definitely the most complete, dominant player I’ve ever see on a HC and I’d favour him vs anyone at the USO.
 

tenisdecente

Hall of Fame
Feds 04 backhand was quite weak for dealing with heavy topspin. It really struggled against baby Rafa in Miami even though Fed wasnt 100 percent in that match. I think 2010 Nadal wins unless its on the faster green courts. Remember Fed used to struggle with Nadals return and 2010 US open Nadal had a killer serve. 2006 Federer would do better because the backhand was a lot more stable for dealing with heavy spin shots.

Miami is one of the slowest HC of the tour, and still Fed survived in 5 sets. That court is more suited to Nadal's defensive/counter punching style. 2013 Nadal's serve was pretty decent, and he swept american HC season. He also dealt with a better version of Djokovic, even if as you stated the serb choked away that match

2010 US open Nadal is much better than 2013. He didnt have that killer serve in 2013 and in 2010 he moved a little bit quicker.

Movement, maybe, serve at least in par or better at 2013

Nadal stole that 2013 US open. Djokovic couldnt take his chances when he was firmly in control of the match. Then proceeded to choke away.

Agree, Djokovic choked away that match
 

MeatTornado

Talk Tennis Guru
Rafa in 4 sets.

2010 is arguably peak Nadal on hard courts. As if the lefty-righty fh to bh match-up problem wasn't evident enough for 04-13 Roger, Rafa was also winning a lot more free points on serve that tournament. I don't see how Roger gets out alive.

I'm sorry, I'm as much a Roger fan as anyone else. But peak for peak and all things being equal, Nadal is going to beat Federer more often than not on a neutral surface. It's simply a bad match up.
 

KINGROGER

G.O.A.T.
“How would Federer and Nadal match up at the USO”

Let’s see:


Same surface as the USO. Complete and utter annihilation in 2 sets vs prime Rafa.

He even got to 3 sets in 2013 LOL vs absolutely peak HC Rafa.

06 or 08 USO finals of Fed vs any Rafa in 04-09 speeds USO = 4 set win IMO.
 

tenisdecente

Hall of Fame
Rafa in 4 sets.

2010 is arguably peak Nadal on hard courts. As if the lefty-righty fh to bh match-up problem wasn't evident enough for 04-13 Roger, Rafa was also winning a lot more free points on serve that tournament. I don't see how Roger gets out alive.

I'm sorry, I'm as much a Roger fan as anyone else. But peak for peak and all things being equal, Nadal is going to beat Federer more often than not on a neutral surface. It's simply a bad match up.

US Open is not a neutral surface, it is a surface that favours Geriatricer ;) at least the old US Open surface, not this disguised clay of later
 

robthai

Hall of Fame
Fed wasn’t able to run around every BH against Nadal not even during his peak years. In 05-06, Nadal was murdering his backhand, mostly on clay where you have more time to run around your weaker side.
This is mostly a clay issue. On clay Nadal likes to stand as far behind the baseline as he can and grind. Federer prefers to be closer to the baseline and dictate the points more. So since Nadal is the one standing even farther behind the baseline, he has more time than Fed to run around and hit forehands.
 

abmk

Bionic Poster
Federer had less FH unforced errors in 06 MC F than BH UEs in 04 USO F (12/16) and more winners (5/2). And just like his fearhand in the match against Hewitt was the best version of that stroke ever, the same can be said about his backhand in MC F 06, 23/20 on winners. And that side would naturally get more attacked by Nadal so a better backhand seems like an advantage IMO.

the fearhand is always going to be a significantly better weapon/asset than the best version of the BH, even vs Rafa.
oh and most of those BH UEs came in the 2nd set. The 1st and 3rd sets, he had 6 UEs combined overall. Fed's BH was fine in those sets.

Some of those tennisabstract stats are slightly off.
Official stats have Fed with 40 W to 26 UEs in that USO 2004 final.

If you are going to pick a TMC final for fed, go with one of the 03,04 and 07 finals. All complete performances and better ones than 06 final. As much as I liked the BH fest in 06 final, his FH was shaky/UE prone in that match.
 
Rafa in 4 sets.

2010 is arguably peak Nadal on hard courts. As if the lefty-righty fh to bh match-up problem wasn't evident enough for 04-13 Roger, Rafa was also winning a lot more free points on serve that tournament. I don't see how Roger gets out alive.

I'm sorry, I'm as much a Roger fan as anyone else. But peak for peak and all things being equal, Nadal is going to beat Federer more often than not on a neutral surface. It's simply a bad match up.
2010 RAFA only won two HC titles and Tokyo was the other one, lol.
 

KINGROGER

G.O.A.T.
the fearhand is always going to be a significantly better weapon/asset than the best version of the BH, even vs Rafa.
oh and most of those BH UEs came in the 2nd set. The 1st and 3rd sets, he had 6 UEs combined overall. Fed's BH was fine in those sets.

Some of those tennisabstract stats are slightly off.
Official stats have Fed with 40 W to 26 UEs in that USO 2004 final.
2006 Fed was even better too. Scary good.

I fear for Nadal if he’d actually somehow made his way to the 06 USO final. Probably 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 type score incoming for the moonballer.
 
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