Is Nadal Impacting Federer's Legacy?By Dan "The Man" LeachWagerWeb.com Contributing Writer It is widely agreed that Roger Federer is one of the greatest tennis players to ever lace up a pair of sneakers, but Federer will not be happy with just that moniker. He wants to be considered the best ever, and for that to happen he is going to have to learn how to beat Rafael Nadal. This season Federer is 44-0 against anyone not named Nadal and 0-4 against Rafi. So the questions are starting to linger much like they did for Pete Sampras: Can Federer win on clay, and if he doesn't can he be considered the greatest ever? Many feel that Sampras is the greatest ever, and his best result on the clay of Roland Garros was a semifinal finish in 1996 at age 24, the same age Federer is today. The fact that clay-court play is not nearly as important in today's tennis world is another reason Federer may not win the French during his career but still be considered the best ever. I think that unless he does win at Roland Garros and somehow finds a way to beat Nadal on clay, then his legacy could be tarnished. The question now: Is Nadal the best player in the world? Many will contend that even though Rafi's absurd streak of 60 wins in a row on clay is the greatest streak ever, it is only on clay. It can't be ignored that no matter what the surface, to win that many matches in a row is an amazing feat and one that should be cherished. Nadal's game is perfect for clay, as he is all about movement and reaction as opposed to Federer, who is about skill and domination. It is hard to be dominant on clay the way Federer is on grass or hard courts, as much of his power is taken away. Join the World's most popular Online Sportsbook and receive a 50% SIGN-UP BONUS + $25 FREE CASH! For well over a decade, millions of Americans bet on Sports, Horses, play Poker and Blackjack at the World's LARGEST online sportsbook, casino and poker room, SPORTSBOOK.COM! Enjoy a 100% Bonus in their Poker Room and always get a 21% Referal Bonus and tons of other great promotions! So if in a few weeks Nadal and Federer square off on the grass of Wimbledon for the championship and Nadal wins? You would have to say that Nadal makes a great case as the No. 1 player in the world even with Federer's stellar record on the year. That most likely won't happen as Nadal has struggled mightily on grass. But Nadal will look to repeat the feat that Bjorn Borg, one of the game's legends, did from 1978-1980, the last to accomplish the French-Wimbledon double. Whether or not Nadal does the double, the questions remain: Can Federer beat Nadal on clay, and can he win the French? Until he answers those questions with a rebounding yes, let's hold off on this greatest player ever talk. --- by Dan "The Man" Leach at WagerWeb.com on June 16, 2006
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