Nadal's Nemesis
Rafael Nadal seems to have Roger Federer’s number, at least compared to the rest of the field. However, for the Number Two ranked player in the world, there are a couple players who seem to have his game pegged. For example, James Blake is 3-0 versus Nadal including his recent victory in the Masters Cup. Tomas Berdych is 3-1 lifetime versus Nadal and has won the last three matches in a row! It’s unusual in a way for a top player to have such a one-sided losing record to other players. A few years ago, Federer had a losing record dating back to junior days against David Nalbandian, but he has won most of their recent encounters. Does this happen often? Well, the reality is that some players’ games just match up better against certain players; some players read their opponent’s serve a bit better, etc. Sometimes, players have a mental block for no logical reason against another player. At the top of the sport, it can be these subtle nuances that can make the difference in close matches. But as Federer proved, you can overcome!
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