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- Tennis Balls Favorite Photographer and Producer Rob Stone Premieres THE Blue Angels IMAX Film!
- Mutua Madrid Open Schedule and Draws for Friday, April 26, 2024
- It’s a Girl! Belinda Bencic Welcomes Daughter to the World
- Nadal kicks off Mutua Madrid Open campaign with easy win over Blanch
- Mutua Madrid Open Schedule and Draws for Thursday, April 25, 2024
- Mutua Madrid Open Schedule and Draws for Wednesday, April 24, 2024
- Novak Djokovic Earns 5th Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award
- Mutua Madrid Open Schedule and Draws for Tuesday, April 23, 2024
- Rafael Nadal Commits to 2024 Laver Cup
- Mutua Madrid Open Schedule and Draws for Monday, April 22, 2024
- Casper Ruud Tops Stefanos Tsitsipas for Barcelona Title
- Former World No. 1 Garbiñe Muguruza Retires
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- Munich Open Schedule and Draws for Sunday, April 21, 2024
Confessions Of A Federer Lover
- Updated: January 23, 2018
Roger Federer of Switzerland in action during his third round match against Richard Gasquet of France at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2018. EPA-EFE/TRACEY NEARMY
I’m a Federer guy. There, I said it. Rafa could marry my daughter (please?)—but I cannot cheer for him. I even cheered for Federer over Roddick in their epic Wimbledon final in 2009. All those wins Rafa had over Fed = Brutal. Closing in on career majors, Frightening. Always happy when Rafa loses (except in Laver Cup doubles with Rog), even as Djoker started to close the gap, it was always Rafa. Last year was amazing. As Roger looked like he had a shot at getting to the AO finals, I’m thinking, how amazing would it be if Roger could beat Rafa in the finals, but, of course, the opposite could happen, so maybe I should cheer for Nadal to go out early. Well, we all know what happened, and how amazing a year both all-time greats had. Rafa gets #1 but Roger goes 4-0 head-to-head. I really love how gracefully they have entered this presumably final phase of their careers, so appreciative of their special rivalry and their probable places as #1 GOAT & #1 King of Clay.
So Rafa vs Cilic this morning, a battle that I was sure Rafa would take. Cilic hangs in there, blows the 3rd set breaker and comes back to take the 4th. But wait, oh no, Nadal is limping, he’s injured his hip and retires in the 5th.
How terrible for Rafa, who knows the extent of the injury to his hip (see: Andy Murray).
But this is a story about my fanaticism. I am ashamed to admit that I was happy to see the great Nadal bow out, clearing the way possibly for a Fed defense of the title, and closing the gap for sure in the points rankings.
The purist Federer I’m sure is very saddened for his good friend, and only wishes him a full & speedy recovery.
If only I was that kind-hearted.