Who is better on natural surfaces: Nadal or Federer?

[Backspin1183]

On hard courts, it's no contest. Federer by far.

On natural surfaces: clay and grass, perhaps Borg is the greatest of all time.

Federer and Nadal have also been highly successful on clay and grass. Who do you think is the better player on clay and grass?

 

[Deleted member 77403]

On hard courts, it's no contest. Federer by far.

On natural surfaces: clay and grass, perhaps Borg is the greatest of all time.

Federer and Nadal have also been highly successful on clay and grass. Who do you think is the better player on clay and grass?

Good question. Very close, but I give it to Nadal.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

Hard to say.

I think Federer is better on clay than Nadal is on grass, and that Nadal is better on clay than Federer is on grass. Obviously, Nadal is better on clay than Federer is and Federer is better on grass than Nadal is. Overall I give Nadal the edge because of his unparalleled dominance on clay.

 

[octobrina10]

The better on natural surfaces is the guy, who has more GS titles. Simple.

Rafa has 10 GS titles on clay & grass (8 FO & 2 Wimby), Federer - 8 (7 Wimby & 1 FO ).

 

[octobrina10]

Sergiy Stakhovsky should be added to the Poll.
SportsIllustrated has named Sergiy Stakhovsky’s victorious match against Roger Federer in the second round of Wimbledon this year as one of the 10 best GS matches of 2013.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

8 + 2 = 10

10 > 8

-> Nadal

 

[darrinbaker00]

On hard courts, it's no contest. Federer by far.

On natural surfaces: clay and grass, perhaps Borg is the greatest of all time.

Federer and Nadal have also been highly successful on clay and grass. Who do you think is the better player on clay and grass?

Actually, Nadal has a slight edge on hard courts:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Players/Head-To-Head.aspx?pId=N409&oId=F324

 

[Chico]

Steve Darcis of Liege and Lukas Rosol of Brno.

If we just look at Basel and Majorca for the options it is clearly the man from the city on the river Rhine.

 

[mike danny]

Well there is a huge distance in accomplishemnts on clay and grass between the 2. Nadal has a lot of clay titles including 8 RG. Federer has 3 times more grass titles including 3 times more W titles.

In other words Federer is miles better on grass while nadal is miles better on clay

 

[Backspin1183]

Actually, Nadal has a slight edge on hard courts:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Players/Head-To-Head.aspx?pId=N409&oId=F324

Nadal may be the better player in their outdoor hard courts matches but Federer has accomplished far more on HCs. Federer has 9 HCs slams to Nadal's 3.

 

[Backspin1183]

Steve Darcis of Liege and Lukas Rosol of Brno.

If we just look at Basel and Majorca for the options it is clearly the man from the city on the river Rhine.

Why the man from the city on river Rhien and not the man from the Mediterranean sea?

 

[Steve0904]

Hard to say.

I think Federer is better on clay than Nadal is on grass, and that Nadal is better on clay than Federer is on grass. Obviously, Nadal is better on clay than Federer is and Federer is better on grass than Nadal is. Overall I give Nadal the edge because of his unparalleled dominance on clay.

Pretty much this. Also it's 10 slams to 8 in Nadal's favour. His complete and utter domination of clay just edged it for me, but I almost voted for Federer based on Nadal's last 2 Wimbledons. Good question OP.

 

[jg153040]

Why is grass a natural surface? Most people don't live outside on grass. Most people live indoor.

Even animals live in caves, holes (indoor).

 

[beast of mallorca]

Why is grass a natural surface? Most people don't live outside on grass. Most people live indoor.

Even animals live in caves, holes (indoor).

You obviously do not understand the question of the OP, sorry.

 

[Backspin1183]

Why is grass a natural surface? Most people don't live outside on grass. Most people live indoor.

Even animals live in caves, holes (indoor).

So your house is natural, not man-made?

 

[jg153040]

So your house is natural, not man-made?

So, tennis courts occur naturally, are not man made?

The thing is, what is this "natural" talk? Tennis isn't natural anyway.

Why doesn't HC and indoor count?

 

[Backspin1183]

So, tennis courts occur naturally, are not man made?

The thing is, what is this "natural" talk? Tennis isn't natural anyway.

Why doesn't HC and indoor count?

Because clay and grass are natural even if tennis isn't. HCs are not, outdoor or indoor.

 

[jg153040]

Because clay and grass are natural even if tennis isn't. HCs are not, outdoor or indoor.

Wimby has a roof. So, Fed is better indoor natural surfaces.

Rafa is better outdoor natural surfaces.

What about blue clay? Is that natural surface to you?

If it is, blue clay tips the tie in Fed's favor. Otherwise I consider them equals.

 

[Backspin1183]

Wimby has a roof. So, Fed is better indoor natural surfaces.

Rafa is better outdoor natural surfaces.

What about blue clay? Is that natural surface to you?

If it is, blue clay tips the tie in Fed's favor. Otherwise I consider them equals.

If you think they're both equal then don't vote for either or vote for Steve Darcis. If you consider Fed to be better than Rafa on clay (including blue, red, green, purple, brown) and grass, then vote for Fed. It's your opinion.

 

[jg153040]

If you think they're both equal then don't vote for either or vote for Steve Darcis. If you consider Fed to be better than Rafa on clay (including blue, red, green, purple, brown) and grass, then vote for Fed. It's your opinion.

There is no options being equals in the poll, so I had to make a post.

Ok, I will go serious for a while.

Both are equals to me. Both have 13 finals. Rafa has two more wins, but Rafa in his prime also has two exits vs journeymen.

They only played 3 times on grass and 15 times on clay. So, the h2h is skewed.

And grass doesn't have any masters, so of course Rafa will lead in masters.
Fed has more consecutive semis/finals.

And grass slowed down, helping Rafa in his prime a bit.

It's tough to argue against 10 vs 8 majors though. But Rafa always struggles in the first week on grass.

I would say they are equals on natural surfaces.

 

[Backspin1183]

There is no options being equals in the poll, so I had to make a post.

Ok, I will go serious for a while.

Both are equals to me. Both have 13 finals. Rafa has two more wins, but Rafa in his prime also has two exits vs journeymen.

They only played 3 times on grass and 15 times on clay. So, the h2h is skewed.

And grass doesn't have any masters, so of course Rafa will lead in masters.
Fed has more consecutive semis/finals.

And grass slowed down, helping Rafa in his prime a bit.

It's tough to argue against 10 vs 8 majors though. But Rafa always struggles in the first week on grass.

I would say they are equals on natural surfaces.

Fair enough.

I didn't create this thread so Rafa would lead Fed in the poll. I wasn't sure who I'd vote for if someone asked me this question because Fed's also very good clay, made several FO finals only to lose to Nadal. And Nadal's also made 5 Wimby finals. Last two disasters can make us forget how formidable younger Rafa was on grass.

So, personally I think they're about equal. Or maybe Rafa is a tad better because he's just too dominant on clay.

 

[Forehand Of Doom]

On hard courts, it's no contest. Federer by far.

On natural surfaces: clay and grass, perhaps Borg is the greatest of all time.

Federer and Nadal have also been highly successful on clay and grass. Who do you think is the better player on clay and grass?

Nadal has 10 titles on natural surfaces vs 8 for Federer. Nadal is more dominant on clay than Fed on grass. Nadal has defeated Federer in Wimbledon but Federer hasn't defeated Nadal in Roland Garros. And it looks lik,e Nadal might not be done yet.

Based oin thios, Nadal can be considered greater on Natural Surfaces.

 

[sam_p]

I think this thread backfired on the OP pretty clearly.

There is actually no dispute that Nadal is far more accomplished on Grass + Clay than Federer at this point in their careers. This is only likely to get worse.

 

[Backspin1183]

I think this thread backfired on the OP pretty clearly.

There is actually no dispute that Nadal is far more accomplished on Grass + Clay than Federer at this point in their careers. This is only likely to get worse.

Have you read my posts? Nadal and Federer are my two favorite tennis players. I prefer Rafa more.

 

[driscoll]

This is a no brainer.

Nadal on clay is greater than Federer on grass, or any player on any surface in history you would have to say.

Nadal on grass is a bit better than Federer on clay probably, although that is a closer call.

Still combining the two it is clearly Nadal.

 

[Chico]

Borg is #1 here. No contest.

 

[Forehand Of Doom]

Borg is #1 here. No contest.

And Djokovic is #149. He is alright on unnatural surfaces though (Plexicushion).

 

[MichaelNadal]

And Djokovic is #149. He is alright on unnatural surfaces though (Plexicushion).

:lol: flawless victory.

 

[Forehand Of Doom]

:lol: flawless victory.

LMFAO. Great GIF.

 

[Deleted member 307496]

It has to be Nadal.

 

[kandamrgam]

Major titles: Fed - 8, Nadal -11, Borg - 11
Major finals: Fed - 15, Nadal -14, Borg - 12

Borg for versatility in his distribution. Otherwise Nadal.

Honorable mention: Kohlschreiber

 

[mistik]

No one loves djokovic.

 

[Deleted member 512391]

I would say Nadal by a small margin, result wise, 11 titles > 8 titles. Federer has shown a marginally better consistency, though - 15 finals > 14.

All time - great Borg.

 

[NatF]

Borg all time. Nadal now.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Nadal has not gone to second week for past 4 years in a row in Wimbledon. And he was not even 30 in that time frame.

 

[metsman]

Peak for peak they are about equal imo. People forget just how clinical peak Federer was(03-06) at Wimbledon and grass is harder to absolutely dominate than clay. But Nadal was elite on clay for 10 years...Federer really only for 7 on grass. Federer was elite on clay for 5 or 6 years. Nadal was elite on grass for 5. So Nadal clearly has the edge there and overall.

Borg all time no question...the guy was such a legend.

 

[Navdeep Srivastava]

I can still understand about grass but What is so natural about red clay, for me grass that too old Wimbledon grass was completely natural.