One-Sided Rivalry

In a hard-fought win, Nadal holds an 8-2
career record against Federer in Grand
 Slam matches.

It wasn't easy, it never is.

Rafael Nadal continued his dominance, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-4, over the suddeningly aging Roger Federer on Thursday night.

While many in the United States were unable to watch the match live, after losing the first set in a tiebreaker, Nadal reeled of three straight set wins to earn a berth to play for his second Australian Open title in as many attempts.

Nadal won his first and only Australian Open back in 2009, handing Federer his first ever loss in the final.

It was only the second time these two rivals have met in a Grand Slam semifinal, usually reserving their matches with a title on the line. They have now faced one another 10 times in a Grand Slam with Nadal holding an eight-two advantage, including five consecutive Grand Slam match wins. Federer's last major win against Nadal came in 2007.

The southpaw, who is currently ranked the No. 2 player in the world, has won 10 career Grand Slam titles, six of them have come at the expense of Federer.

Nadal's only two Grand Slam losses against Federer have come in the same tournament, same venue, Wimbledon. Federer has won six Wimbledon titles, giving him the second most all-time. He also co-holds the record for the most consecutive title victories (5) on the legendary grass court with tennis great Bjorn Borg.

However, Nadal captured his only Wimbledon title against Federer, giving him his only final loss there. It was in 2008. And after experiencing numerous rain delays, the two gladiators put together not only one of the greatest matches in the tournament's storied history, but the longest, playing for four hours, 48 minutes.

Prior to that, in 2006, Nadal was responsible for snapping Federer's Open Era record of 56 consecutive victories on hard courts.

Just like Federer, Nadal also dominated a surface, winning 81 straight matches on clay before the Switzerland native ended that in final of Hamburg Masters in '07. And even though it wasn't a Grand Slam final, it still might be one of Federer's greatest accomplishments.

Nadal has won five French Open finals in his young career while Federer's only French Open title didn't come against the Spaniard. Nadal was hampered by injury in the 2009 tournament at Roland Garros and lost to Robin Soderling in four sets.

They have never met in the U.S. Open.

As for the present, Thursday night's loss to Nadal now gives Federer 18 career losses against him, by far the most to any one opponent in his career.

Nadal awaits the winner of the tournament's second semifinal between (1) Novak Djokovic and (4) Andy Murray. Fresh off his fantastic 2011 season, Djokovic is the clear cut favorite to meet Nadal in the final, but don't count out Murray just yet.

Murray has been been to the semifinals in the last five Grand Slams. The 24-year-old has never more a Grand Slam title, but right now, Nadal might be his biggest fan.

Every player has their kryptonite, Nadal's is Djokovic.

Six Is Sweet

Nadal is slowly cementing his legacy with
the all-time tennis greats.

Sunday night in Paris, France was a little more magical than usual for the No. 1 tennis player in the world. Rafael Nadal won his record sixth career French Open title defeating his longtime rival Roger Federer in four sets, 7-5, 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-1.

    The win tied him with tennis legend Bjorn Born for the most career wins at Roland Garros. Born, who many consider to be one of the greatest tennis players of all-time, was also able to win five consecutive Wimbledon titles during his career compared to Nadal's two, which did not happen to come in consecutive years.

    Nadal continues his unbelievable dominance of arguably the greatest tennis player in history. The Spaniard is now 17-8 in his career head-to head matchups against Federer including a 6-2 advantage in Grand Slam finals. Nadal is now 5-0 against Federer at the French Open and 45-1 overall at the event. His only loss came in 2009 when he lost to Robin Soderling in the fourth-round on a court, he had never really been challenged on. Oddly enough that would be the year Federer captured his only French Open title of his career thus far.

    For Nadal, it is tenth major championship of his career tying him with American Bill Tilden for sixth on the all-time list. Federer is the all-time leader with sixteen of his own, but at twenty-nine and ranked as the third best player in the world he might need to increase that total with Nadal just turning twenty-five.

    The question will be if in fact Nadal can stay healthy to achieve those heights. The southpaw has had ongoing knee injuries for quite some time causing him to miss major tournaments, most recently at last years Australian Open. Federer would go on to win that tournament completing his career Grand Slam.

    Injuries might be the only hinder between Nadal and Federer's all-time Grand Slam mark. As for his continued dominance on clay, the record speaks for itself. "He plays better against the better ones and that's what he showed today," said Federer, who ended Nadal's 81-match winning streak on clay back in 2007. "He's a great champion, on clay especially."

    This is a story of man and his surface.

41-1

Djokovic looked lost at times against
Federer.

The streak has finally come to a close and it couldn't have come at a worse time. Novak Djokovic started off the 2011 season with one of the most remarkable streaks in tennis history winning his first forty-one matches, second only to tennis legend John McEnroe's streak of forty-two in a row to start the 1984 season. That all came to a halt Saturday when Djokoic was defeated by the world's former No. 1 Roger Federer in four sets, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) in the French Open semi-finals.

    Djokovic had an overall 43-match winning streak before his loss Saturday at Roland Garros dating back to last season. Not only does the loss knock Djokovic out of the French Open, but it also sees him squander a golden opportunity to claim the World's No. 1 ranking from Rafael Nadal.

    Djokovic was vying for his first finals appearance at the French Open and if he would have done just that, Nadal would have ceded his No. 1 ranking to the the native of Serbia.

    As for his match against Federer, Djokovic didn't seem comfortable from the outset, slipping and sliding across the classic clay-court at one of the most historic venues in tennis. The matches first set between the two went to the first of two tiebreakers, both won by Federer, taking the wind out of Djokovic's sail and sending him home earlier than expected.

    For Djokovic it's the third time in the last five years he has lost in the semi-finals at the French Open. He has only been crowned a Grand Slam champion twice in his career, both coming at the Australian Open including one earlier this year as apart of his 41-match winning streak.

    This marks the third time in Federer's career he has ended a prestigious winning streak. At the 2001 Wimbledon tournament and only nineteen years old, he ended tennis great and his idol Pete Sampras's 31-match winning streak at the All England Club. Sampras was the four-time defending champion of the tournament at the time. In 2007, he ended Nadal's 81-match winning on clay at Hamburg and now has taken down Djokovic.

    Federer will now face Nadal in the French Open final on Sunday, it will be the eighth time the two have met in a Grand Slam final, with Nadal currently holding a 5-2 edge over Switzerland sensation. It is a blessing for Nadal that Djokovic was unable to reach the finals as the he has defeated the Spaniard in their last four meetings.
  
    At the young age of twenty-four and his powerful two-handed backhand one of the best in professional tennis, Djokovic may be entering the prime of his career with a new streak waiting in the wings.