Nadal aiming to flush down Federer’s dominance

The International tennis tour has winded down to the last Grand Slam of the year: the US Open. Played on the Decoturf  courts of the National Tennis Center in New York, the US Open has been dominated in the recent past by Roger Federer who, having won it five times in a row, was upended in the final last year by Juan Martin Del Potro, the gigantic Argentine who is one of the major omissions this year.

With his recently stated resolve of winning 20 Grand Slams, Federer would be looking to move one step closer to his goal. But things will not be simple for the Swiss. A decade on the tour has taken its toll on his body, evident at Wimbledon.

On average, a player has ten years of competition in him at the highest level and Federer is on a home stretch. His body is not as supple as before, and for one who relies on sublime court coverage, this is a major setback. The recovery is taking longer and it may seem that an epic career is on its demise.

A number of players now feel they have a good chance against him. Nadal, the world number one has more often than not had his number. Andy Murray’s has his defensive skills, although he has come up short of a major title. Serbian Novak Djokovic, Robin Soderling from Sweden, Thomas Berdych the Czech, the Americans Andy Roddick and Thomas Isner, the Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis and the French can upset him should Federer falter.

But, should he stay healthy and is not slowed down by  long matches, one would hesitate to look beyond Federer for the title. However, it probably will not be an easy ride for him as it was before. The game has evolved. Players are bigger, stronger and no longer consider him invincible. Should he slip, Nadal would be the one to look out for.

The ferocious, nerveless competitor that he is, Decoturf is his least favourite surface. The stop-and-go on the hard surface is difficult for his suspect knees. Nadal’s intensely physical style of play does not bode well for a long career, unlike Federer’s whose effortless game has kept him relatively injury free. Murray, Djokovic and Soderling also seem to have a good chance. This could be a breakthrough event for the towering Swede who has reached two Grand Slam finals and the surface should be tailor made for him.

Among the women, one always looks to the Williams sisters. Unfortunately, Serena is the biggest omission and  Venus is battling an injury and could be below her best, which is why defending champion Kim Clijsters and Justin Henin should be the ones to watch out.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 31^st, 2010.