Operation Grand Slam for Rafael Nadal

 'Operation Grand Slam' in the famous James Bond movie Goldfinger comes to mind when one thinks of Rafael Nadal's prospects in coming year-2014. His game looks so good now that he could very well pocket the Grand Slam -the Holy Grail of tennis. Only a handful have completed the Grand Slam in tennis.  Clearly he is at the peak of his prowess despite the terrible injuries. One factor in his favour is that he has won all the four slams at least once in his career. That includes the French a record 8 times, the US and Wimbledon twice each and the Australian once.  He has also pocked the Olympic Gold once in 2008 besides his smashing record in Davis Cup for Spain which however is seldom mentioned. His indefatigable spirit is probably the biggest factor to be considered. If he does accomplish this feat he would be on par with Roger Federer on the number of Grand Slams -17 in all.  

Also to his credit his overall game has improved by leaps and bounds, a vastly improved serve and a far better net game.  By the French Open in 2014 he would be 28 years, the beginning of the end in men's tennis.  However he looks so solid now more than ever before that to be dismissive of his chances would be rank foolishness.  He needs to start with the Australian Open where he has suffered many a hiccup in the past.  His overall record at Wimbledon and the 'Open' are good but he has also suffered bad lows over there.  However currently the momentum seems to be with him and knowing him and his team the preparations will be complete, leaving no stone unturned.

Also to reckon would be the form of his adversaries.  The only real challenge will be from the Serb Novak Djokovic.  The Scot Andy Murray seems to be overwhelmed by the events of the past year or so when he won the Olympics, US Open and Wimbledon , besides of course the major surgery which will take some recovery of not only fitness but also importantly form. The great Roger Federer would probably take a set off him, at best!!!  He is clearly playing from memory and is well past his best. Did he miss a trick in the years 2004-2009?

At the French Open currently no one else stands a remote chance against a fully fit and motivated Nadal.  At the Australian of course there have been surprises in the past like Jeff Tsonga in 2008. His Achilles heel if at all any, is playing on fast surfaces and big hitters. A troublesome knee is another. Given that he still has some time left and is getting better unlike Federer who did not get better post 2008, to discount his chances of overtaking the Federer count would be unwise. If he does accomplish the Grand Slam he would be only the third male player after Don Budge and Rod Laver to have accomplished the same.  There are of course 3 ladies to have accomplished this feat.  Maureen Connolly, Margaret Court Smith and Steffi Graf.   Also to be noted was when the last man Laver did it in 1969 three of the four Slams were played on the same surface unlike now when each of them is played on a different surface.  The last Grand Slam however was in the year 1988 by the great Steffi Graf.  It looks impossible but knowing Nadal one really never knows for sure. He is already one of the greats of the game. His best chance to attain all time greatness is in the year 2014.

Rafael Nadal and the Calendar Grand Slam in 2014

The way ahead for Rafael Nadal is to plan his 2014 campaign with a focus on a calendar grand slam and stay injury free.  He could be the first player in 45 years to complete a Calendar Grand Slam.   His chances seem very bright given his current form and his fitness.  He seems simply unstoppable.  Age is also just on his side. On hindsight the current number of 13 slams does not justify his talent and skills.    However he could still end up as the greatest ever tennis player.  As things stand now 60 singles titles, 13 slams, Olympic Gold, marathon Davis Cup victories besides steering Spain to the title a few times is good enough for greatness.  The only thing missing in his CV is the Grand Slam and 2014 may present his best chance subject to his fitness.

Coming to Federer his failure to tackle his nemesis -Rafael Nadal adequately  has lead to his decline in the long run.  Several losses in finals in all the Grand Slams had robbed him of the mental edge.  Gradually it has hurt his game.  A lack of plan and thought which seems to be the heart of every Nadal campaign has been missing.  In the years 2004-2009 his artistry left his opponents and fans mesmerised , with the honourable exception of Nadal who not only outplayed him but seems to have a good measure of his psyche.  A year or two from now,   at the most Federer is most likely to surrender the claim to the most number of singles grand slam to Nadal barring a miracle.  Yet his reign will be remembered and cherished for the sheer silken touch he brought back to the game with its slow courts and power hitters.  He is probably the last of the serve and volley players thought in all fairness it must be said that since 2008 he has hardly done justice to his volleying skills, perhaps out of fear of being passed by Nadal and Djokovic.

Sania-Li...

A Nadal- Djokovic showdown is looming large on the US Open Men's Final.  However one never knows.  Wawrinka could still play the match of his life to alter the script.  Whatever may be the possible matchup Nadal seems the odd-on favourite to win the Open this year.   Time for a change of guard in men's tennis.    Despite the depth in Men's tennis the top 3 Nadal, Federer (though his time is clearly up now), Djokovic and Murray to some extent have dominated the scene for several years.  The men's players ranked lower seem to be lacking only in one attribute-fire in the belly. Some years back there were bemoans on the lack of depth in women's tennis. Clearly things have changed over the years.

While Li-Na may have lost badly to Serena Williams in the semis, there was absolutely no disgrace. Li-Na has been a pioneer in Chinese tennis or for that matter Asian tennis.  Comparison with Sania will most certainly arise and justifiably so.  Her rise has been meteoric while Sania's Single's performance has nose-dived.  Wonder if the reason is more of a attitudinal problem and probably also sums up the difference between China and India.   Remember Sania cribbing that clay was not her favourite surface at the start of every French Open in her Single's hey days before she eventually lost badly.   As though Chinese prefer clay courts!!!!!!.  Li-Na was ranked much below Sania some years back and she went on to capture the French Open some years back besides two other Grand Slam finals. She is in for greater glory. It is really astounding. The work she has put has certainly paid off and how!!!!  Sania is no longer in the Single's pecking order.  Not that she was ever much of a threat!    Some years back the very mention of a Chinese Single's Grand Slam champion would have elicited howls of laughter but that is a reality today.  For India it has become eternal quest akin to an endless dark tunnel. One is tempted to remember the famous novels 'Good Earth' and Mother India.  Mercifully the Chinese are not yet into cricket.....

End of an Era?

The loss of Roger Federer to Tommy Robredo may have stunned many fans, but going by the way he has shaped up this year was it really surprising?  The next year will decide which way Federer is headed.  For now the 18th Grand Slam seems almost impossible.  A massive overhaul is needed but may be too late. The problem is he is not getting any younger.  A persistent back problem is only making matters worse.  

 

More than the defeats, the manner of the defeats is probably more surprising-straight set losses at the French and  the Open and a four set defeat to a journey man pro. at Wimbledon. The losses have been to men who will never win a grand slam.  Reinventing himself like the way Andre Agassi did in the 2000s maybe is asking for a little too much.

US Open -Nadal once again....

The Nadal /Federer clash if at all it happens is going to be Nadal once again....Nadal is in bruising form....whoever fancies their chances of outlasting better be good.  He is clearly in great shape and form and in those 'moods'.Despite the surface not being his favourite he has tailored his game to win here.  He has done it once and seems on course to do it again. His thireenth Grand Slam.

For Federer despite his greatness, his record against Nadal is something that will haunt him once his playing days are over.  Federer simply seems incapable of putting it across Nadal now.  This reminds me of Indian cricket's woes in the eighties in their clashes with arch rivals and neighbours-Pakistan.  All in the head.  Will not detract his greatness, but his efforts seem to be wanting.  In Grand Slams Nadal has beaten him several times 5 times at the French, once at Wimbledon and twice at the Australian Open.  They have never played each other at US Open.  Despite Federer's great record at the Open,  increasingly he seems more and more vulnerable to power hitters like Nadal, Berdych, Tsonga and the like.  Mentally he has gone off the boil, definitely some of it has to do with age and reflexes.   Nadal is the clear favourite at this year's Open.  The others will do well but will struggle to
match Nadal's intensity when it finally counts.
 

Where does Federer go from here?

Roger Federer finally had his tryst with destiny. For someone whose game is flawless this trophy should have been his eons back. However the powerhouse from Mallorca,Rafael Nadal had other ideas. Nadal stood between Federer and his destiny for four years.

Players never to have won the French Open like Sampras, Edberg, Becker, Mcenroe, Connors had a host of people beating them at the French. Players who were never heard of before and after their defeat of these greats took these great men for a ride at the show courts of Paris. True Mcenroe came within a whisker of winning in 1984 but could not last the distance against Ivan Lendl who till that Final had never ever won a Grand slam title. Edberg too was unlucky in 1989 when rookie Michael Chang ousted him in a shocking upset in five sets. Roger had been beaten by only one man in four years -Nadal from the semis in 2005 to the finals from 2006 to 2008. Federer had never played a five setter in Paris to make it either to the semis or the finals.Except for 2008 he was hardly tested in Paris till he ran into Nadal.

This year he played five-setters for a change. Tommy Haas and Del Potro took him the full distance. The final though it had its moments was by a large a one-sided affair. The center court playing even slower than usual thanks to the rain thus rendering Robin Soderling's power game a bit impotent.

Where does Federer go from here? Will he complete a calender Grand Slam ever in his career. He had his chances in 2006 and 2007 where he won 3 out of 4 and made it to the final of the other one. This year the road for the 'Great Slam is sealed' Next year he will be close to running 29...which is definitely old by tennis standards. But the genius of the man is such that with the monkey of the French off his back he may find resources to finally conquer the 'final frontier' which is winning all the four in the same calender year besides of course conquering his all-time bete noire Rafael Nadal. Exciting times ahead.

The upsets at the French Open continue. The most surprising of them all was the dethronement of 'Rafa'....the king of clay...by the giant Swede Robin Soderling....who has managed to reach the final. Soderling's record prior to the French this year was dismal. His dismisal of Ferrer, Nadal, Davydenko and outclassing Fernando Gonsales in 5 tremendous sets has been the talking point. The erstwhile world champion and the holder of 13 grand slams Roger Federer has one final opponent in his way.....The earlier years Federer really did not sweat much to make it to the finals...though in the finals invariably Rafael Nadal got the better of him quite easily. This year he has had to slog it to the final. Probably for the first time in his career he has had to play 2 five setters enroute to a grand slam final- his 19th overall putting him alongside Ivan Lendl.

Will Federer finally conquer his French demons? He is in elite company...Edberg, Becker, Sampras, Mcenroe all accomplished players and holders of several grand slams...met their match on the slow clay at Roland Garros.