Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic Tennis Rivalry Poised for Greater Battles

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at Internationaled.org

Published: March 20, 2013

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Maybe Rafael Nadal is no longer finished as a Grand Slam champion off the French Open’s red clay. Following his Indian Wells title, Nadal did more than prove his competitive viability on hard courts. He has resurrected his rivalry with Novak Djokovic.

Yes, Roger Federer is the No. 2 ranked player in the world and possible favorite for Wimbledon, but the short-term ramifications of his back injury and the clay-court season may put him on the back burner for a short time.

True, Andy Murray has joined the Grand Slam fray and is targeting the No. 1 ranking, but there is not yet a sense that he can dominate the tour or establish an epic rivalry with Djokovic.

There are the also-rans who bid for Grand Slams but who fluctuate like a short-term stock. This month's flavor is the resurgent Juan Martin del Potro.

Nadal vs. Djokovic has already been a great rivalry, but it feels like unfinished business.

 

The Great Schism Over Nadal

With Nadal, there is no middle ground. He is either scowling or celebrating. He is healthy enough to contend for titles, or he is rebuilding on the sidelines for his next attack. He is lionized or loathed.

Tennis fans draw clear lines when discussing the polarizing Nadal. There are those who revere his propensity to fight for every last point, as if he were defending planet Earth against science fiction invaders. They love his stoic countenance and timely celebratory bursts. There are fans who believe his tennis dominance on clay and hall-of-fame success on other surfaces has made him the greatest player in modern times.



Nadal is also despised. Fan bases that support his great rivals Federer and Djokovic have a competitive rivalry with Nadal’s fan base. Many attempt to undermine Nadal's career achievements, oddly enough, by intimating that his record-breaking clay-court achievements should have some sort of asterisk ne...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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