A little too bland

A little bit of competition has never hurt anyone. In fact, it tends to bring out the best in us. To a third person, the competition between any two people can serve as entertainment, until it gets too ugly that is. In sport however, competition can act as double edged sword. In a team game, competition between two individual on the opposite sides can take the focus away from the game as a whole; but on the other hand sometimes individual rivalries can make an extremely boring and one-sided game very interesting to watch. The same is the case in individual sports.

One such rivalry which has captivated audiences all around the world is Rafael Nadal-Roger Federer rivalry. Tennis has had a rich history of rivalries. Right from Bjorn Borg-Jimmy Connors to Andre Agassi-Pete Sampras, these rivalries have given us more memorable moments that any other rivalries in other sports. The gruelling five-setters played in extreme conditions are a tribute to these players' skill, stamina, talent and a never-say-die attitude. I never saw greats like Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors play, but I can confidently say that none of the tennis rivalries in the past 15-20 years can match the intensity of the Nadal-Federer rivalry. These two have taken the game at a whole new level with their skill, determination and single-mindedness.

We have seen some epic matches between these two players, none more better than the Wimbledon final in 2008. For years Nadal had been the King of Clay courts, and Federer had been the Grass court Emporer, with Wimbledon as his own private hunting grounds. And if anyone doubted that Nadal's victory over Federer was fluke, he again prevailed over Federer at the Australian Open earlier this year. Both players have held the top two positions between them for the past 4 years. Both of them have captured 16 out of the last 17 grand slam titles. Such has been the intensity and ferociousness of their rivalry that most experts call it the greatest rivalry in men's professional tennis. To imagine grand slam without a Nadal vS Federer match is quite unbelievable now-a-days. That is why, though Federer's feat of finally capturing the French Open has pleased most of the tennis buffs, they still were not satisfied because they were denied the pleasure of another Nadal-Federer match by Robin Soderling.

Tennis fans however were in for a bigger disappointment when Rafael Nadal withdrew from the Wimbledon owing to an injury. This was supposed to have been an epic tournament what with Nadal starting as the top seed for the first time in the last 5 years and Federer chasing a record breaking 15th grand slam title. True there are a few other players like Djokovic and Murray who have emerged as contenders for the much coveted crown, but they still don't seem ready to challenge Federer on a grass court. Besides, none of them have the intensity, nor the fortitude to stand up against Federer when he is in full swing. Yes, the experts have been saying for the past 18-24 months that Tennis is not only about the Big Two (Nadal-Federer) any more, but about the Big Four (Nadal-Federer-Djokovic-Murray). But time and again, these two giants have shown that whatever the experts might say, Tennis is still about the Big Two. All the others are just fringe actors making special appearances in a few finals.

The stakes are high for both of them not only because of the No. 1 ranking, but also because of their place in the history of Tennis. Till Nadal came along, Federer was largely regarded as one best players of all time with only the French Open title standing between him and the tag of 'Greatest Ever'. And just when the title seemed to be within his reach, Nadal came along and not only did he stake his claim at the Roland Garros, but by the end of Australian Open '09, he had usurped Federer's beloved Wimbledon crown and his much coveted No. 1 ranking.

Nowadays, a grand slam tournament without a Nadal-Federer match is like a perfectly prepared chicken curry without any salt in it. You may have all the spiciness and zing, but it still tastes bland. Federer's graceful game and Nadal's powerful game seem to add just the perfect taste and flavor to Tennis so that the fans can enjoy the game to the fullest. As Jeff MacGregor of ESPN described:

"Each is less without the other, though the other may destroy him. The legacy of one must now become the legacy of the other. Trapped, they define each other."

Whether these two players define each other or not is a question best answered by the players themselves. However, one thing is for sure: they have re-defined rivalry in sport. As far as Wimbledon '09 is concerned, let's hope Federer wins the 15th title to provide some taste for Tennis lovers.