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Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Australian Open 2011: A Changing of the Guard?
Published: February 1, 2011
On the men's side, however, the shocks reverberated far more deeply and poignantly. Djokovic's triumph, with the loss of only two sets throughout the whole tournament, demolishing Andy Murray in the final, along with his straight sets victories over Roger Federer in the final, signalled the thunderous re-awakening of the young guard. But above all, it was the inability of top dogs and long-time titans Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to even so much as reach the final, much less win the Australian Open, that was most startling.
It was first time in three years, since the Australian Open of 2008, that neither has been in a grand slam final, as only the third time thus far in the last eight years. Of course, such a stat may be of both relief and distress to the concerned tennis, especially Federer and Nadal, fan. It would suggest that this sort of thing has rarely happened, and is unlikely to happen. Yet it just happened. Neither Federer nor Nadal reached the final, and thus won the Australian Open.
Before getting into the issue of how significant it is, it may be noted that again, for the eighth straight year for Federer, and now the third year for Nadal since his crowning as No. 1, neither of them will win the Calendar Grand Slam (that elusive and increasingly unrealistic, yet all the more necessary, measure of GOATness).
For Nadal, his loss in the quarterfinals would probably be more galling. He had lost here at the same round last year to Andy Murray and would have expected to go at least one better, if not reclaim the title he won in 2009. Moreover, he was going for that unique "Rafa Slam," as Serena Williams had achieved in 2002-03, of winni...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis
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