While recreational tennis is enjoyed by millions of all ages, the professional tour rewards youth. To be a top player, one requires the stamina of a young athlete and the grace that comes from natural talent and experience. Perhaps no other duo embody this blend of athletic prowess better than Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Their historic final in the Australian Open this weekend will be long remembered for that reason.
At 35, Roger Federer has become the oldest man to win a Grand Slam tennis title in 45 years with his five-set victory in Melbourne. Statistics aside, the Nadal-Federer rivalry is compelling because the players embody the ethos of the sport. From Federer’s elegant and calculated movement on the court to Nadal’s fading but youthful power, the matches between these two giants of the sport have an almost gladiatorial air about them. No one knows if we will ever witness another Federer-Nadal Grand Slam final, but it doesn’t matter. Their place in history is already secure.
