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Tennis’ Greatest Rivalry, and The Players Who Helped Pave the Path
Published: January 14, 2011
Before Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal came to be, tennis had a long history of rivalries that fueled interest within the sport.
However, following the tail end of Sampras vs. Agassi, the prospect of getting to where we are today, wasn't immediately known.
Andy Roddick had just won his first US Open, and held the No. 1 ranking in the world. He owned the game’s most lethal weapon, with his blistering serve; and seemed destined to take over the throne, left empty by his American counterparts.
The problem with this scenario didn't immediately present itself, because in tennis terms, Roger Federer matured a bit later than people had predicted. Nevertheless, the talent was there, and he was starting to show his true force.
Early in Federer’s career, most people wouldn't have immediately referenced his graceful and artistic strokes, but instead, his powerful forehand and testy on-court behavior.
Not until he secured his first of 16 Grand Slam’s did he polish his image, becoming the face of the Men’s game.
During the early Federer years, many people assumed that his main rival would be the hard-hitting Roddick. They had many great matches, but Federer became more able to block his serve and eliminate his most valuable asset.
The rivalry would not truly come to form, and Federer began to dominate the Men’s game like no other player before him.
At this time, Federer was putting a stranglehold on the Men’s game, and in 2004, he put together one the greatest season’s in the modern era; winning three of the four Grand Slams.
In that same year, a young Rafael Nadal was slowly progressing his game, which at the time...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis
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