Melbourne – Longtime rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will be playing for history and another line or two in the record books as the titans clash in Sunday’s final of the Australian Open.
The dream scenario between the veteran Swiss and Spanish warriors fell into place after Nadal completed a five-set, nearly-five-hour, Friday-night struggle with Grigor Dimitrov.
Federer, who had won a day earlier after a similar five-set battle with countryman Stan Wawrinka, presumably had his feet up in a riverside hotel suite carefully watching with his team.
“I’m in the finals, I know I have a chance to win now,” said four-time champion Federer, who could add an historic 18th title to his collection of grand slam singles titles.
“That’s a great position to be in. It’s going to be special. It’s the epic battle with Rafa, I understand the magnitude of the match.”
An archive photo shows Roger Federer (l) of Switzerland and Rafael Nadal of Spain before a final in Basel, Switzerland.
If he wins, Federer will re-enter the top 10 after his ranking dropped to 17th due to the six-month pause he took last season in order to properly heal a knee injury. Nadal also skipped the last of 2016 to treat his problem left wrist.
The Swiss, 35 and currently playing as he did in his days of total domination over the past decade, trails 11-23 in the series, with the majority of those matches being finals.
If the Spaniard wins, he moves to sixth in the world. “That’s what I going to try. I did in 2009,” Nadal said, referring to his only Melbourne title. “But I am seven, eight years older,” he continued.
“It’s special playing with Roger again in a final of a grand slam. I cannot lie. It’s great. It’s exciting for me and for both of us that we’re still there and we’re still fighting for important events.
“It’s a final, a very important match for both of us. I hope to be ready to compete well again.”
Nadal has won six of their previous eight grand slam final meetings – including Melbourne in 2009, when he triumphed in five sets to win his only title at the venue.
Federer ended a five-match losing streak in the series in their most recent meeting, the final at 2015 Basel. Last year was the first year since the pair’s initial meeting in 2004 that they have not contested at least one match.
But Nadal is on a six-match winning streak against Federer at the slams, having not lost to the Swiss at a major since falling in five sets in the final at 2007 Wimbledon; Federer has won just two of their 11 previous meetings at the Grand Slams.
The Swiss said he was surprised that his comeback had gone so well, proving the wisdom of his break from competition.
“The comeback is so great already – let it (the ball) fly off your racquet and just see what happens.
“I need to take a nothing-to-lose mentality into the final. It’s been nice these last six matches to have that mentality. It worked very well so I’ll keep that up.
“Rafa is an incredible tennis player, he’s got shots that no other one has. When you have that, you are unique and special.
“Plus he’s got the grit and the mental and physical ability to sustain a super high level of play for years and for hours and for weeks. He’s proven that time and time again.
“He’s come back from many injuries, you know, time and time again. He made it seem easy, and it’s not.
“I think he’s been tremendous for the game. I have a lot of respect for him on many levels.”
-dpa
