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Adam Hogg, dyrektor Finałów ATP World Tour, przyznał, że po zakończeniu karier przez Rogera Federera i Rafaela Nadala tenis już nie będzie taki sam. - Roger i Rafa pozostawią po sobie ogromną dziurę - powiedział działacz.
REKLAMA

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Miłośnicy tenisa muszą oswajać się z myślą, że niedługo w rozgrywkach zabraknie Rogera Federera i Rafaela Nadala - dwóch najbardziej utytułowanych graczy w dziejach. Obaj zbliżają się bowiem do końca pięknych karier. Szwajcar ma 37 lat, a Hiszpan - 32.
- Roger i Rafa pozostawią po sobie ogromną dziurę - przyznał Adam Hogg, działacz Związku Zawodowych Tenisistów (ATP) w rozmowie z "Gulf News". - Czy mogę sobie wyobrazić, jak to będzie wyglądało? Tak. Czy będzie inaczej? Z pewnością. Ale gdybyśmy się cofnęli o 30 lat, to samo moglibyśmy mówić o zakończeniu karier przez McEnroe'a, Connorsa i Borga, a następnie Samprasa czy Agassiego.

Brytyjczyk uważa jednak, że wykreują się nowe megagwiazdy. - Pracujemy nad nową generacją tenisistów i myślę, że zmierzamy we właściwym kierunku. Jestem przekonany, że tacy gracze jak Tsitsipas, Zverev czy Chaczanow dorosną do roli supergwiazd.


REKLAMA
Hogg jest również dyrektorem Finałów ATP World Tour, które od 2009 roku odbywają się w Londynie i pozostaną w tym mieście do 2020. O organizację turnieju w następnych latach stolica Anglii będzie jednak musiała rywalizować z Manchesterem, Tokio, Turynem i Singapurem.

- Londyn i Finały ATP World Tour to jak na razie zwycięska kombinacja. Już zastanawiamy się, jak uczynić ten turniej lepszym i mocniej przyciągającym kibiców - zapowiedział Hogg.

Test your knowledge ahead of the Indian Wells semi-final
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Saturday's semi-final will be the fourth Rafa-Roger match in the desert
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are set to compete at the BNP Paribas Open for the fourth time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series on Saturday, when they meet in the semi-finals.

Federer has won two of the pair’s three meetings in Indian Wells, but three-time champion Nadal will try to even their rivalry in the desert. ATPTour.com looks back on the pair's first three clashes in the desert:

You May Also Like: Roger & Rafa: Every Match Ever Played
2012 Semi-finals: Federer def. Nadal 6-3, 6-4
For the first time since 2003, Federer arrived in Indian Wells outside the Top 2 of the ATP Rankings. In 2011, the Swiss did not capture a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2002. And less than two months before this match, Nadal defeated Federer in the Australian Open semi-finals. The pressure was on for Federer to earn a big win.

Federer got off to a perfect start in their BNP Paribas Open semi-final, storming to a 3-0 lead to set the tone for the match. While Nadal battled hard, the Swiss was too strong on the day, breaking the World No. 2’s serve four times to advance to the final.

“I felt good about my game. I guess I had a no‑lose mentality,” Federer said. “I've not felt great this week. I didn't expect myself to play so well tonight, and this is sometimes when you can pull off the biggest wins of your career. That's why I'm happy I gave myself a chance this week.”

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Federer lost a set in the third round against 21-year-old Milos Raonic and another in the fourth round against Thomaz Bellucci. But he was able to summon his best tennis against Nadal to triumph after after one hour and 32 minutes on a windy day.

“He played fantastic. His serve was with high percentage, and I wasn't able to play my usual tactics against him with those conditions,” Nadal said. “I tried, fought until the last ball. I lost against a player who played better than me this afternoon.”

Federer had not lifted the Indian Wells trophy since capturing his third straight in 2006. But the Swiss went on to defeat home favourite John Isner in the final to win his fourth of five titles in the desert.


2013 Quarter-finals: Nadal def. Federer 6-4, 6-2
After the pair’s 2012 semi-final in Indian Wells, the legends did not meet again until the next year’s BNP Paribas Open. That was in part due to Nadal not competing after his second-round loss at Wimbledon because of knee tendinitis.

Nadal, who began 2013 in February by playing three clay-court events, won 12 of 13 matches leading into Indian Wells. And while it was his first hard-court tournament of the year, you wouldn’t have known by watching him play, squeaking by Ernests Gulbis in a three-set thriller that lasted more than two-and-a-half hours to reach the quarter-finals against Federer.

The World No. 5 feasted on the Swiss’ second serve, winning 70 per cent of those points. Nadal earned 11 break points, converting four times.

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“Two weeks ago I didn't know if I can be here, and tomorrow I will be in semi-finals,” Nadal said. “A lot of positive energy, and [I’m] very happy.”

Federer struggled a bit with a back injury, so Nadal knew winning the first set would be key. The Swiss dismissed two set points on his own serve at 3-5, before Nadal held to close out the opener, and that was all the momentum he needed.

“I played a fantastic first set,” Nadal said. “The first set was a good match, my opinion. Both of us tried to play our best. I played much better than yesterday. My movements today were much, much better than what it used to be yesterday, so [I’m] very happy for that."

That victory served as a springboard for Nadal, who would go on to beat Tomas Berdych and Juan Martin del Potro to lift his third Indian Wells trophy. Nadal won 10 tour-level titles in 2013, the second-most in his career, and he would also return to No. 1 in the ATP Rankings.


2017 Fourth Round: Federer def. Nadal 6-2, 6-3
Federer and Nadal had not met in more than a year when they clashed in the 2017 Australian Open final, a five-set classic that saw 17th seed Federer return to Grand Slam glory.

Yet less than two months later, they were across the net from one another for the third time in Indian Wells, meeting in the fourth round. It was the first time they had played before the quarter-finals of any event since their first FedEx ATP Head2Head match 13 years earlier in the third round in Miami.

While their Melbourne battle was a nail-biter, Federer was in control from the start in Indian Wells. The 35-year-old was aggressive — hitting over his backhand with authority — to keep Nadal on the back foot. A tremendous backhand return winner gave him the double-break in the first set, eventually finishing the opener in just 34 minutes.

“It was all about coming out and trying to play the way I did in Australia. I didn't think it was going to be that possible, to be quite honest, because the court is more jumpy here or more rough, so it's hard to put the ball away,” Federer said. “Once I got the break in the second set, obviously you had to be very careful you didn't get down double-break. I was able to hold my serve, and he couldn't find a way how to get into my service games more frequently. Next thing you know, it's all over. It was a really good performance by me.”

Dive deeper into the Federer-Nadal rivalry before their Indian Wells semi
Thanks to quarter-final victories on Friday at the BNP Paribas Open, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will meet for the 39th time in the Indian Wells semi-finals Saturday. This will be their fourth clash in Indian Wells.

History is on the line for both men at this tournament, the first ATP Masters 1000 event of the year. If Federer can move past Nadal and triumph in the final, he will lift a record sixth trophy at the event. Nadal on the other hand could extend his record of 33 Masters 1000 triumphs to 34 if he wins in the California desert for the fourth time.

ATPTour.com looks at some of the stats you need to know ahead of Federer and Nadal's encounter:

- Nadal and Federer’s 38 prior meetings are third-most in the Open Era (Nadal/Djokovic 53, Federer/Djokovic 47).

- Federer is 37 years old, making him the oldest semi-finalist in BNP Paribas Open history (since 1976).

- Nadal holds the record for most Masters 1000 titles with 33. Federer is third with 27, trailing only Nadal and current World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who has 32.

- Federer has held in 31 straight service games against Nadal.

- Nadal and Federer have met 19 times at Masters 1000 tournaments (Nadal leads 12-7).

- Nadal has won 17 more sets than Federer in their rivalry (Nadal leads 67-50).

- Federer has won 11 matches against Nadal on hard courts (11-9).

- Nadal and Federer have met in nine semi-finals (Nadal leads 6-3).

- Federer has won five straight matches in this rivalry after Nadal won five in a row. Nadal has had 3 runs of 5 straight wins

- This will be Federer and Nadal’s fourth FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting in Indian Wells. In addition, Federer and Nadal have both won four matches against one another in the United States.

Federer & Nadal's Three FedEx ATP Head2Head Meetings At Indian Wells

Year Round Winner Score
2012 SF Roger Federer 6-3, 6-4
2013 QF Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-2
2017 R16 Roger Federer 6-2, 6-3
Combined Statistics - Federer vs. Nadal at Indian Wells

Stat Roger Federer Rafael Nadal
First-Serve Points Won 66.1% (72/109) 63.6% (68/107)
Second-Serve Points Won 53.7% (36/67) 52.7% (29/55)
Break Points Won 69.2% (9/13) 37.5% (6/16)
Break Points Saved 62.5% (10/16) 30.8% (4/13)
Did You Know?
While Djokovic is currently in the top spot, Federer (310) and Nadal (196) have combined for 506 weeks at No. 1 in the ATP Rankings — nearly 10 years!

Tennis’ Greatest Rivalry Returns to Indian Wells Tennis Garden
Borg-McEnroe. Evert-Navratilova. Sampras-Agassi. Federer-Nadal. They’re the kind of rivalries that transcend the sport; rare, epic narratives forged over decades on tennis courts from Queens Club to Queens, New York.

ROGER FEDERER VS. RAFAEL NADAL
SEMIFINALS IN TENNIS PARADISE
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They highlight contrasts in personality, in style, sometimes both. They play out like racquet-dueling sagas: baseliner vs. serve-and-volleyer, girl-next-door vs. Eastern Bloc defector, tennis whites vs. jean shorts. Chrissie and Martina built an unlikely friendship over some 80 head-to-heads. The Sampragassian Wars famously spilled over onto the streets of rush-hour San Francisco, the Nike-orchestrated ‘Guerilla Tennis’ spot setting off a Muni-bus logjam. Super Brat vs. Ice Man became fodder for book deals and Hollywood scripts.

Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal has a flavor all its own. Baryshnikovian perfectionism meets clay-stained bullfighter. Effortless vs. effortful.


Wednesday, March 13, 2019 – Roger Federer plays Kyle Edmund in the 4th round of the BNP Paribas Open in Stadium 1 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. (Jared Wickerham/BNP Paribas Open)
“I think we’re very different personalities, maybe also player types,” said Federer after his quarterfinal win over newcomer Hubert Hurkacz at the BNP Paribas Open, a match that set the stage for Fedal XXXIX. “The way we go about it is very different, yet we both find a way to excel. The way he came up was very clay-court based, and I was apparently very grass-court based, and we both found our ways on other surfaces.”

“It’s the combination of two different styles that makes these matches really special,” said Nadal before their title clash five-setter at the 2017 Australian Open. “They’re different ways to play tennis. Both of us have had a lot of success with these two different styles. I feel that this rivalry is not only in the tennis world — people from outside tennis also talk about it, and that’s good for our sport.”


Friday, March 15, 2019 – Rafael Nadal plays Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open in Stadium 1 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. (Kathryn Riley/BNP Paribas Open)
All along, it’s been a veritable Mutual Admiration Society. Unlike the antagonism between, say, John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, who as Davis Cup teammates once refused to stay in the same hotel, these frequent foes are quick to praise each other’s accomplishments. They recognize the history-book significance, that they might not be where they are had the other not been there to push him.

“When he came up, I was already World No. 1,” said Federer, who’s closed the gap on career head-to-heads with five straight wins, but still trails, 23-15. “Clearly, that adds to it — him trying to figure things out and getting there himself while I was at the top. I think it all adds to the cool rivalry that we’ve had. And then you add all the foundation stuff, promotional things we’ve done for the tour, political things, whatever it’s been, it’s been quite a journey with Rafa side by side.”

VIEW FULL FEDERER VS. NADAL HEAD TO HEAD HISTORY
The tricenarians — Federer is now 37, Nadal 32 — continue to play for the record books. Federer, the all-time Slam king with 20, recently hit the 100-title mark and is chasing an unmatched sixth trophy in Indian Wells. For his part, Nadal, winner of 17 majors, is pursuing an industry-best 34th ATP Masters 1000 title.


Wednesday, March 13, 2019 – Roger Federer plays Kyle Edmund in the 4th round of the BNP Paribas Open in Stadium 1 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. (Kathryn Riley/BNP Paribas Open)
Saturday’s semifinal will be their 20th Masters 1000 encounter, which includes three right here in the Coachella Valley. Federer won two of those matches, the most recent a 6-2, 6-3 Round-of-16 decision in 2017. It’s been more than a year since they last faced each other, and you get the feeling fans are savoring each occasion more than ever when they do line up in the draw. As Federer and Nadal edge closer to the end of their respective careers, we wonder just how many more of these much-cherished clashes we’ll witness.

“It brings extra energy to the building,” noted Federer on Friday. “There’s always a lot on the line.”

Federer, the No. 4 seed, has been sharp throughout the tournament. He dispatched countryman Stan Wawrinka, 6-3, 6-4, in a rematch of the 2017 final, and took out 22nd-seeded Brit Kyle Edmund in the quarters, before overwhelming Hurkacz, 6-4, 6-4. The Swiss has yet to drop a set.


Friday, March 15, 2019 – Rafael Nadal plays Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open in Stadium 1 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. (Kathryn Riley/BNP Paribas Open)
The No. 2 seed Nadal also boasts a clean slate in wins over Jared Donaldson, Diego Schwartzman, Filip Krajinovic and Karen Khachanov. The Spaniard showed some real gumption in the last, a 7-6(2), 7-6(2) squeaker in which he not only battled his 6-foot-6 Russian opponent, but also his compromised right knee.

“The main thing is all the things that we’ve shared in our careers,” said Nadal of his career-long rivalry with Federer. “That makes always the matches really special. Different styles, different ways to understand the sport. At the same time, we’re two players with a good relationship after all the things that we went through in our careers, competing for the most important titles. All these things make the match always really special between us and it’s beautiful to have the chance to keep competing at the highest level in late rounds, in the most important events at that late part of our tennis careers.”

Saturday’s BNP Paribas Open semi-final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal wasn’t meant to be, but the Swiss star believes they’ll have another chance to share the court.

Federer expected it to be business as usual when he warmed up for their Indian Wells clash and heard Nadal was on a separate practise court. But a couple of hours before they were slated to battle on Stadium 1, the Spaniard was forced to withdraw due to right knee pain.

“Rafa texted me a message saying ‘It’s not going to be possible, my knee is not well.’ It’s definitely a big letdown because I know the anticipation [for the match] was there and the tension was so high for the both of us,” said Federer. “I’m obviously excited to be in the final, but not this way. He was playing some of his best tennis again, so I was looking forward to the match and I’m sorry it didn’t happen.”

Nadal still leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head Series 23-15, but they haven’t faced off since the 2017 Shanghai Rolex Masters. The two titans are in the twilight of their careers, so the opportunities for them to play each other are less frequent. As Federer continues his 21st year on tour and Nadal his 18th, it’s only natural for fans to wonder when their last match will be.

But with both men still playing high-quality tennis, Federer is optimistic they’ll put themselves in position to meet again.

“We’ve had so many epic battles and I know every match we have now could be our last. Was this our chance for the last one? I really hope not,” said Federer. “I believe at the level he’s playing and that I’m still going at, there’s going to be more. But if we keep staying up high in the [ATP Rankings], it’s more of a challenge to get to each other in the draw as well.”

Federer is now one match away from a record sixth Indian Wells title as he gets ready to face Dominic Thiem on Sunday. He was just one point away last year from taking sole ownership of the record he shares with Novak Djokovic, but missed three championship points in a heartbreaking third-set tie-break loss to Juan Martin del Potro.

Although Federer has put himself in the same position 12 months later, he won’t be logging in any extra hours on the court in spite of Nadal’s withdrawal.

“I’ve hit so much the last few weeks that I’m happy to save my knees for my body, to be honest,” joked Federer. “We don’t have much time off, so when you do get an afternoon off, you put your feet up, take a massage and spend some time with the family. It’s a big final for me, especially after the tough loss last year…but I’m feeling good and ready to go.”

Rafael Nadal has now occupied a place in the world's top 10 for 735 consecutive weeks, passing Roger Federer for the second-longest streak in the history of the ATP rankings.

Nadal made a statement on Sunday ahead of defending his French Open title in Paris, despatching Novak Djokovic 6-0 4-6 6-1 in the Internazionali d'Italia final.

The victory ended his wait for a first tournament win in 2019, the Spaniard having underwhelmed on clay so far this year, losing semi-finals in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid.

But the 11-time Roland Garros champion made light work of the current world number one in Rome, even though he was taken to three sets.

There was further good news on Monday for Nadal, who has been ensconced inside the top 10 since April 25, 2005.

He has overtaken Federer on the all-time list when it comes to appearances in consecutive weeks, with only Jimmy Connors (789) left ahead of him on the all-time list.

Test your knowledge ahead of the Roland Garros semi-final
How much do you know about the legendary FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal?

You may know that Nadal and Federer are set to compete in the Roland Garros semi-finals as the Spaniard pursues his 12th Coupe des Mousquetaires and the Swiss continues towards a second triumph on the clay in Paris. But do you know their Head2Head record on clay courts and how many times they have competed against one another at Roland Garros?

Need a little assistance? Check out these resource pages:
FedEx ATP Head2Head | Every Match Ever Played

Click here to stay informed all year with tennis news from the ATP Tour.


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Friday's semi-final will be the sixth Rafa-Roger match at the clay-court Grand Slam

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will meet at Roland Garros for the sixth time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry on Friday, with a place in the 2019 championship match on the line.

Nadal enters the match with a perfect 5-0 record against his great rival at the second Grand Slam event of the season and has dropped only one-set en route to the last four this year. In his quarter-final match, the 33-year-old cruised past seventh seed Kei Nishikori for the loss of just five games to move two wins away from a record 12th Roland Garros crown. Nadal owns an unbeaten 22-0 record in Roland Garros matches after reaching the semi-final stage.

You May Also Like: Roger & Rafa: Every Match Ever Played
"Having Roger in front [of me] in the semi-finals is an extra thing," said Nadal. "We shared the most important moments of our careers together on court facing each other. So it's another episode of this, and I'm happy for that and excited. It will be a special moment."

Despite his painful history with Nadal at Roland Garros, Federer has reason to believe he can produce an upset Friday, having won his past five matches with the Spaniard. The Swiss' winning run against the lefty began at the 2015 Swiss Indoors Basel final, before sweeping their four encounters during the 2017 season. Nadal's last victory against Federer came in the 2014 Australian Open semi-finals.

Federer's decision to return to Roland Garros for the first time since 2015 has proven successful. The 37-year-old made it through to the quarter-finals in Paris without dropping a set, before an impressive four-set win against 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka.

More On Roger vs Rafa, XXXIX
* Preview: Nadal & Federer Face Off In SF
* The Rivalry: 12 Stats You Need To Know
* Federer & Nadal's 10 Best Quotes About Each Other
* The History Of Nadal vs. Federer In Paris
* Can You Pass Our Federer-Nadal Quiz?

"I'm very happy to play Rafa," said Federer. "Because if you want to do or achieve something on the clay, inevitably, at some stage, you will go through Rafa, because he's that strong and he will be there."

But will Federer's form and recent record against the 81-time tour-level titlist prove enough for him to join Robin Soderling and Novak Djokovic as only the third man to beat Nadal at this event? ATPTour.com looks back at how Nadal has defeated Federer in each of their previous five clashes in the French capital:

2011 Roland Garros final, Paris, clay, Nadal d. Federer 75 76(3) 57 61
Nadal and Federer contested a Grand Slam final for the eighth time when they met in the Roland Garros final, and it was Nadal who prevailed as he finished strongly to end Federer’s bid for a second title at the clay-court major in three hours and 40 minutes. The Spaniard had also beaten Federer in the Roland Garros final from 2006-2008.

Having ended Novak Djokovic’s 41-match unbeaten run in 2011 in the semi-finals, Federer hoped his top form would be enough to dethrone Nadal in Paris and made a strong start as he raced to a 5-2 lead. The Swiss squandered a set point chance in the eighth game, though, and it sparked the Nadal comeback as the Spaniard reeled off five straight games to take the opener.

Nadal capitalised on his momentum to break early in the second set, and was serving for the set at 5-4, deuce, when a heavy shower suspended play for 10 minutes. Upon resumption Federer broke back, but Nadal regained his composure in the tie-break to take a commanding two-set lead.

The top-seeded Nadal broke through in the sixth game of the third set, but had no chance to build on his lead as the resilient Federer immediately struck back with a service break to love. The Swiss then delighted the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd, and stunned Nadal, as he won four of the next five games to claw his way back into the match.

The key stage in the fourth set came in the opening game as Federer squandered a 0/40 opportunity on Nadal’s serve. From there the tide swiftly turned in Nadal’s favour as he broke serve twice, dominating the baseline rallies as he raced through to claim victory.

2008 Roland Garros final, Paris, clay, Nadal d. Federer 61 63 60
After contesting closely fought battles in the finals of Monte-Carlo and Hamburg in the lead up to Roland Garros, much was expected when Roger Federer stepped up to face Rafael Nadal in their 17th career meeting. However the match proved to be the most one-sided encounter between the pair.

Nadal enjoyed the better start in the match, breaking Federer's serve in the first game courtesy of one of an eventual 49 unforced errors from the Swiss’ racquet. From there, Nadal did not look back and went on to break the Federer serve twice more to seal the set 6-1 as Federer drifted a forehand volley long.

After fighting back from an early break down in the second set, Federer had the chance to gain a key break though when presented with a break point chance in the seventh game. However, he was denied and, after failing to take his opportunities, the Swiss No. 1 was immediately under pressure and conceded his own serve as another backhand pass from Nadal was just out of his reach. Nadal was quick to extend his lead, closing out the set 6-3 as Federer returned serve long.

The third set lasted just 27 minutes as Nadal broke serve three times to secure the match victory after just one hour and 48 minutes, and hand Federer his first bagel set since June 1999, as the Swiss fired a forehand long, prompting muted celebrations from Nadal after the comfortable win.

Read: Federer Puts Up 'Help Wanted' Sign In Paris Ahead Of Nadal Clash

2007 Roland Garros final, Paris, clay, Nadal d Federer 63 46 63 64
The stakes were higher than ever when Federer and Nadal clashed in the 2007 Roland Garros final. For the second consecutive year Federer was attempting to become just the sixth man in history to win all four Grand Slam titles and to be just the third man to hold all four majors at the same time. Nadal was looking to join Bjorn Borg as the only player to win three consecutive Roland Garros crowns.

Earlier in the clay swing, Nadal had beaten Federer in the Monte-Carlo final but Federer avenged that defeat with his first clay court victory over Nadal in the Hamburg final.

Federer took the fight to Nadal early, earning 10 break point chances over three consecutive Nadal service games in the first set. But the tough Spaniard refused to buckle and scrapped to win the first set. Although Federer rebounded to win the second set, Nadal's ability to fight off 16 of 17 break point opportunities in the match proved the telling factor.

Federer returned more aggressively - particularly on the backhand - to try to stop Nadal from controlling points, but, as in past meetings, the Spaniard's high kicking left-handed forehands into his backhand were too much for Federer to handle.

2006 Roland Garros final, Paris, clay, Nadal d. Federer 16 61 64 76(4)
Playing in his first Roland Garros title match, Federer was attempting to become the first player since Rod Laver in 1969 to win four straight Grand Slam events, and just the third player in history to achieve the feat.

Nadal was looking to become the youngest player to defend the Roland Garros title since Bjorn Borg in 1974-75. The Spaniard also was trying to improve his perfect record at Roland Garros to 14-0, his clay court winning streak to 60 matches and to notch his 100th career clay court win.

Federer broke Nadal twice in the first set to race to a 5-0 lead. But then Nadal began to dominate the match with his crushing forehand and Federer struggled with many unforced backhand errors.

Nadal did not drop serve again until he tried to close out the match at 5-4 in the fourth set. But he clinched the match soon after in the tie-break. Nadal won his 14th consecutive final (second only in the Open Era to Federer's mark of 24 straight finals won).

Read Nadal On Facing Federer: 'We Shared The Most Important Moments'

2005 Roland Garros semi-final, Paris, clay, Nadal d. Federer 63 46 64 63
Theirs was the most eagerly awaited match of the tournament. Federer was already No. 1 in the world and fast-rising Nadal was at No. 5.

Nadal came to Roland Garros on the heels of clay-court titles in Monte-Carlo in April (d. Coria) and in Rome in May (d. Coria again). Federer, meanwhile, was fresh off of his second straight clay-court crown in Hamburg in May (d. Gasquet).

Federer evened the score by winning the second set, but after that his form fell as the wet and dark conditions set in. Nadal kept the pressure on, ousting Federer in four sets on the way to winning the Roland Garros title on debut (d. Puerta in the final).