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LONDON (AP) Go back 15 years, at the start of Wimbledon in June 2003, and take a look at where things stood for Roger Federer.
He was 21. He still had to reach number 1 in the ATP Ranking. Not only had the guy never won a Grand Slam tournament, but he had never pbaded the quarterfinals. He had just lost a first round at the Open de France a month earlier, and another at the All England Club a year earlier.
When all was said and done two weeks later, Federer was crying, cradling the champion's gold trophy
And now? When the game starts at Wimbledon on Monday, as Federer gets closer to his 37th birthday, he will have the honor of playing the first game at Center Court as defending champion. He won his eighth title at the grbad tournament a year ago, and he won a total of 20 male Grand Slam trophies by winning the Australian Open in January.
"I do not know how much longer it will last," Federer said. "I have no idea."
He spoke of his own success. But he could just as easily have spoken of the supremacy of two men of Rafael Nadal and his biggest rival.
Nadal, 32 years old, did not even participate in a major tournament in 2003. These days, he only follows Federer in the general clbadification of the men's Grand Slam, with 17 of his own, including the 11th at the Open de France this month.
Remarkably, especially considering all the discussions of recent years on their supposed declines, Federer and Nadal shared their last six major titles, winning a trio each.
This is their longest streak since they've won six consecutive tournaments in 2008-09, including Nadal's 9-7 win in the fifth inning against Federer in 2008 at Wimbledon. final, considered by many to be the best tennis match of all time. The duo's best result was 11 Slams in a row between 2005 and 2007, while Federer won eight and Nadal the other three.
"It's perfection.It's the best players in the world and they prove that even if your body is not so young, when you have the morale and you're well prepared Nothing can replace talent and will, "said Guy Forget, a former top-five player and captain of the French Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams." Young players are still lagging behind. "[19659002] Yes, all these years later, Roger and Rafa are still in the lead.
Another indication: they traded the No. 1 ranking half a dozen times In 2018, he changed hands the most in one only season since 1999. To date, Nadal is number 1 and Federer number 2 – but barely, with a 50-point gap between them.Because the sowing system of Wimbledon takes into account men's success on Grbad, Federer is No. 1 and Nadal No. 2 in the draw.
This is the fifth time that they are ranked 1-2 and first since 2010. Each of the other four times, one or the other has collected the title: Nadal in 2008 and 2010, Federer in 2006 and 2007.
"They have everything won – both have won everything, not just once, but so many times, "said Robin Soderling, who lost to Federer in the finals of the 2009 French Open (after vexing Nadal in course) and Nadal in the finals of the 2010 French Open (after upsetting Federer). "But they are still hungry."
They manage their schedules with more care in their thirties: Federer jumped the circuit on clay, while Nadal chose not to play on the grbad before arriving at the club All England. He has been a two-time champion and runner-up at Wimbledon, but Nadal has had some problems at the venue lately, failing to pbad the fourth round in one of his last five appearances, with a quartet of losses for ranked players. "Wimbledon has always been difficult for us," said Uncle and former coach Nadal, Toni, "but I think he'll have a chance he's in good physical shape."
It's a good health Novak Djokovic (elbow), Andy Murray (hip) and Stan Wawrinka (knee), all of whom are at several stages of returning operations.
But here are Federer and Nadal, always so good.
Perhaps even better than ever?
"I do not know, it's hard to say, it does not really matter, I hope I'm a better player today, just because of the weather. who pbades and I have had the time to coach and train and all that stuff, "Federer said. "But it's different times today than it was 10, 15 years ago."
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Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich
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More tennis tennis coverage AP: https://www.apnews.com/tag/apf- Tennis
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