Federer v Nadal: A rivalry built on two surfaces

One versus one. A single principle that the sport is built on. Battles are contested from the front seat of the buggy, to the coin toss to who’s towel goes where.

Rivalries are forged in an instant and settled after an eternity.

Ken Rosewell and Rod Laver tussled in the sixties, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg brawled between the seventies and eighties until an all-American dogfight between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi took over in the nineties.

Yet, none of these rivalries sparked as much glamour as Federer vs Nadal. From their first clash in Miami in 2004 to, potentially, their last in the semi-finals of Wimbledon 2019.

Poetry vs passion, left vs right, one-handed vs two-handed and the defining factor of their gentleman feud; clay vs grass.

Sampras/Agassi were opposites in their nature, but Federer vs Nadal’s came below their feet.

The Swiss was the king of grass and the Spaniard was the master of clay. Green vs Red.

A contrast that had polarised their rivalry to such lengths that on this day 15 years ago in Nadal’s backyard a match of unique circumstances took place. Half-clay and half-grass, the Battle of Surfaces was on.

Prior to the once-in-a-lifetime event, both competitors had laid claim on their surface as if it were a castle or keep.

Federer had been the world No.1 since February 2004, an honour he would hold for a then ATP-record 237 weeks. Not to mention the 10 Grand Slams he had under his belt. The 2006 season before the showcase event, the 20-time Grand Slam winner had unleashed his ability by winning three majors, 12 titles altogether and compiled a record of 92 wins and five defeats. Four of those losses were caused by the man standing over net 15 years ago in Mallorca.

He was 21 years old and had already begun his tyrannical reign at the French Open winning in 2005 and 2006. The only crown that evaded Federer’s grasp, to this point, was the La Coupe des Mousquetaires and Nadal had denied him twice. The semi-finals in 2005, then the final in 2006. Nadal was 5-0 against Federer on the dirt up until this point.

A five-year unbeaten stretch with 48-straight match wins on grass, a 72-match winning streak on clay (their respective streaks would end as the longest in the Open era) and the stage had been set. - A stage almost not fit for purpose.

On the eve of the encounter, the organisers shipped in carts of putting-green turf from a local golf course as a lack of natural light and a worm infestation had ruined the original surface.

Nonetheless, the exhibition took place in the sold-out Palma Arena with an estimated 200 million television audience worldwide.

Early on in the match, the conundrums were clear to identify. At the changeover the players changed shoes to accommodate the other surface. The clay-side allowed a higher bounce which gave them more time to adjust making it harder to defend on the green side.

Ultimately the hometown hero won after two and half hours of confusing yet captivating play, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6.

Federer’s breakthrough on clay came when it mattered when he burst the balloon on Nadal’s 81-match clay-court streak in the Hamburg Open final (2-6, 6-2, 6-0). Normal order would resume in Paris when Rafa clinched his third-straight French Open title over his friendly foe (6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3).

The ‘Master of Clay’ finally conquered the grass in 2008. They pushed each other until the final point, but Nadal would claim victory (6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7) and snap Federer’s surface streak at 65.

In 2009, Federer waded through the dirt and dust to win his first and only French Open. He beat Robin Sonderling, the first man to beat Nadal at the tournament, in the final.

40 sparkling occasions these two came to blows. Nadal leads 24-16 with a 14-2 record on clay. They’ve only met four times on grass with Federer winning three.

Tennis down to its very core is pitting one against another. A mere 3ft 6inch net divides them, equipped with a racquet and ball.

It is their juxtaposition in style, surface and on-court character that fuels the fire between the two. An eternal flame that lit up the world and will continue to burn long after they have departed the sport.