Rogers Cup is Rafael Nadal’s to lose
Canada’s Rogers Cup will see Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal return to competition for the first time since their vastly different Wimbledon campaigns, and in the form he’s been in this one looks like it’s Rafa’s to lose.
Nadal has just one loss (in the quarter-finals at the Queen’s Club) and five titles, including the French Open and Wimbledon, to his name since April and has appeared nigh on unstoppable in recent months as he has asserted his dominance over the men’s game, sweeping Federer aside to regain the No. 1 ranking along the way.
It’s a turn of events that leaves Federer in the unusual position of being the hunter, rather than the hunted, and in need of securing a Masters victory in the lead up to the US Open (either here or in Cincinnati) just to send all potential challengers a timely message that he’s still at least one of the two men to beat when players descend on New York for the year’s final Grand Slam.
There’s no doubt the world No. 3 is serious about redressing any issues with his game that resulted in his premature departure from the All England Club, announcing on his website after Wimbledon that he was going to employ Pete Sampras’ former coach Paul Annacone as a coach on a trial basis.
But there’s another thing that’s happened to the Swiss since he left London without the silverware: he turned 29. And if Federer’s Wimbledon performance hinted that he might be entering the twilight of his career, his latest birthday edges him still closer to the veteran class.
Not that any of that means a player of Federer’s stature is set to have his title haul stalled at 62. It just means they might start to become harder to come by, especially with a red-hot Nadal standing in the way of not just his greatest rival but every other player who crosses his path on court at present.
And with the announcement that Nadal has teamed up with world No. 2 Novak Djokovic for the doubles in Toronto, there’s every chance Rafa will walk away from the tournament with two titles to his name.
The pairing marks the first time in 34 years that the world’s top two-ranked tennis players have joined forces in doubles, with Jimmy Connors and Arthur Ashe the last to do so and there is plenty of motivation for the Nadal/Djokovic partnership to succeed here.
"I couldn't refuse the chance to play with Rafa... Part of it is the fact that Davis Cup is a bit on my mind. I need to play as much doubles as possible," said Djokovic, an integral component of Serbia’s Davis Cup team heading into the semi-finals.
“I am excited,” said Nadal. “He [Djokovic] is one of the most talented players in the world. To have him in my half of the court will be a nice experience. I am feeling confident with my body. I am not thinking of my body, I am thinking about tennis. I am in perfect condition."
Ominous words ahead of both the singles and doubles in the Canadian Masters 1000 event.
Rogers Cup? More like Rafa’s, methinks.
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