D
Deleted member 758560
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2011 maybe
Lol I forgot I posted this. No one can say I’m not consistent06 imo. It was scary how he was playing. Rafa was an absolute beast to beat that version of Fed. Imo 06 Fed on clay is the scariest thing I've seen outside of Rafa and 05 Coria.
glad someone mentioned that. scoreline wasn't outrageously close but yeah, he was in it and playing well.2019 he actually played GREAT in the wind, lots of amazing rallies he should have/would have won against anyone but Rafa on that day.
Feel like this is one of those matches that was closer than the scoreline reflects and one in which the scoreline is unflattering to the loser.glad someone mentioned that. scoreline wasn't outrageously close but yeah, he was in it and playing well.
That's very very bold take. I think he would have almost no chance in 2017. You see the way he won so much was staying in the baseline and taking the first shot. He had no safety left. He could do amazing on fast courts vs big players. But vs KOC on clay, wow, he would get straight setted with that approach. Just like it happened in 2019.I'm changing my answer on this from 2 years ago. I used to figure that 2005-2006 was Fed's best chance. Those were 2 of his 3 best years overall. But he still lost in 4 sets each year. He's not winning on clay vs Nadal; even during those peak years. My new answer is 2017 for a few reasons:
1. Nadal's footspeed had clearly dropped 2-3 levels by then. This is by far the biggest reason. This version of Nadal was not running down many of Fed's cannon shots on all surfaces that year. Even at IW and Miami, Fed was able to blast shots past Nadal on those very slow surfaces. The 2005-2009 version ran down Fed's shots on all surfaces. Now granted, 2017 Nadal served a bit better. But that often doesn't matter much against Fed.
2. Fed's carefree attitude that year made him very clutch.
3. Fed had the new backhand that was incredible dangerous.
4. Fed's retooled backhand had him playing extremely well on slow hardcourt surfaces. He won the Sunshine Double that year. Fed has always struggled against Nadal on those slow hardcourt surfaces. But in 2017, he punished him.
5. Fed in 2019, despite being 3 years removed from his last clay match, played quite well on clay. Madrid was his first clay court series in 3 years. He got to the QF and pushed peak Thiem hard, including having match points against him. He played in Rome and also made the QF, but had to withdraw before the match with a leg injury. Oh yeah, and 2019 Fed made it to the semis of RG; LMAO!!! This is 2-year-older rusty-as-heck Federer. 2017 Federer would have been dangerous; likely the #2 clay court player that year. I'd bet on it.
With all of this being said, I'd still put Nadal as a 3/1 favorite. But this the match the I would have loved to see between Nadal and Federer at RG. We can toss out the time machine. Straight up, 2017 Fed has a slight chance against the slower 2017 Nadal on clay.
You didn't have to put it so harshly, even if truly.Federer is a master of wasting leads like no one. His unclutchness against Nadal is unparalleled.
2017 Fed was substantially better than 2019 Fed. 2019 Fed wasn't hitting the ball as hard from both wings and he had lost a little more foot speed. And he was far rustier on clay, since he was 3 years removed from playing on that surface. I'm not given 2005-2008, 2011, and 2019 Fed any chance vs Nadal those years at RG. We've seen that show before and it ended badly for Fed. I'm switching to 2017 Fed; the carefree version of Fed that had just butchered the slower version of Nadal on hard court surfaces(something 6-3, 6-2 at IW and 6-3, 6-4 at Miami).That's very very bold take. I think he would have almost no chance in 2017. You see the way he won so much was staying in the baseline and taking the first shot. He had no safety left. He could do amazing on fast courts vs big players. But vs KOC on clay, wow, he would get straight setted with that approach. Just like it happened in 2019.
But all of Federer's exploits came on due to first strike tennis. No one can get this working in bo5 on clay vs Nadal. I will say even Thiem will beat him in RG by this point. Clay will remove all the advantage his new backhand gave him.2017 Fed was substantially better than 2019 Fed. 2019 Fed wasn't hitting the ball as hard from both wings and he had lost a little more foot speed. And he was far rustier on clay, since he was 3 years removed from playing on that surface. I'm not given 2005-2008, 2011, and 2019 Fed any chance vs Nadal those years at RG. We've seen that show before and it ended badly for Fed. I'm switching to 2017 Fed; the carefree version of Fed that had just butchered the slower version of Nadal on hard court surfaces(something 6-3, 6-2 at IW and 6-3, 6-4 at Miami).
But, you may be right. This would be yet another slaughter by Nadal at RG. 2017 Fed might not have a chance either. That's quite possible. But based on what I've seen, my money is on 2017 Fed; even though he'd still be an big underdog there as well.
He never had any chance.
There is a glitch in the matrix.He never had a chance to begin with.
careful, you might lead him into an existential crisisThere is a glitch in the matrix.
If we are only looking at the times that they did play at RG, I would definitely say 2019. If we are just theorizing his greatest opportunity, you could be right about 2017.2017 Fed was substantially better than 2019 Fed. 2019 Fed wasn't hitting the ball as hard from both wings and he had lost a little more foot speed. And he was far rustier on clay, since he was 3 years removed from playing on that surface. I'm not given 2005-2008, 2011, and 2019 Fed any chance vs Nadal those years at RG. We've seen that show before and it ended badly for Fed. I'm switching to 2017 Fed; the carefree version of Fed that had just butchered the slower version of Nadal on hard court surfaces(something 6-3, 6-2 at IW and 6-3, 6-4 at Miami).
But, you may be right. This would be yet another slaughter by Nadal at RG. 2017 Fed might not have a chance either. That's quite possible. But based on what I've seen, my money is on 2017 Fed; even though he'd still be an big underdog there as well.
It would have been even worse without wind. 3 2 2 or something worse.If we are only looking at the times that they did play at RG, I would definitely say 2019. If we are just theorizing his greatest opportunity, you could be right about 2017.
By 2019, Fed was riding a 5 match win streak vs Rafa. At the 2019 RG semis, the conditions were just absolutely horrendous. The moment I saw how the wind was gusting in the 1st set, I knew Fed had no chance. They should have postponed that match to the following day. But instead tournament organizers decided to play on, which resulted in an abysmal match, and loss by Fed 3, 4, & 2. But the following match between Djokovic and Thiem, did eventually get postponed to the next day in the 3rd set, due to high winds and rain. I would have loved to see a normal match between, Fed and Rafa, as that was probably the one time I felt super confident, that Fed had a chance to beat Rafa at RG.
LOL, why would you think it would be worse? The windy conditions most definitely favor Rafa as all he has to do is get the ball in and wait for a Fed error.It would have been even worse without wind. 3 2 2 or something worse.
Fed was not able to stay with nadal from back. The windy conditions added more uncertainity to the rallies. It affected both.LOL, why would you think it would be worse? The windy conditions most definitely favor Rafa as all he has to do is get the ball in and wait for a Fed error.
He was crispy af wasn’t heI have no idea why this hypo fed will suddenly beat nadal on clay when his game actually got worse on slow surface by this time. He started ballbashing in order to finish pts quickly. That won't work vs Nadal as he had already tried that in 2005, 2006. Of course he wouldn't beat Nadal from the baseline so he would have to come in more but not to the 2017 extent.
Roger is still single hander with backhand nowhere close to the Thiem Wawrinka power level. And sadly clay will not allow him to win without pushing Nadal back. Wawrinka could do absolutely nothing in 2017. No idea what Fed would do to win 3 sets from Nadal.
Yeah he was. Better than 2021.He was crispy af wasn’t he![]()
2005 French Open semi final: Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer (6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3)I say 2006, 2005, & 2011 in that order; however, I don’t recall the scoreline —wasn’t it 4 sets?—or the feel of 07, so 2007 is likely tied for second or third with 2005 & 2011, respectively.
Nadal gatekept like crazy lol. Federer would have 26 slams right there.2005 French Open semi final: Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer (6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3)
2006 French Open final: Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer (1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6)
2007 French Open final: Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer (6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4)
2008 French Open final: Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer (6-1, 6-3, 6-0)
2011 French Open final: Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer (7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1)
2019 French Open semi final: Rafael Nadal def. Roger Federer (6-3, 6-4, 6-2)