Three of the usual suspects triumphed this week. Roger Federer got the job done in Dubai, David Ferrer prevailed in Acapulco, and Rafael Nadal ended a nine-month title drought in Buenos Aires.
All three veterans already had an extensive history with their respective final opponents.
Federer and Novak Djokovic have now faced each other 37 times, with the Swiss leading the head-to-head series 20-17. He scored a 6-3, 7-5 victory at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Saturday after saving seven of seven break points.
Highlights:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaXDaiEn8zQ]
Ferrer was ruthless at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel, especially in his last four sets. After finishing off Ryan Harrison 4-6, 6-0, 6-0, the 32-year-old Spaniard halted a five-match losing streak to Kei Nishikori with an emphatic 6-3, 7-5 performance on Saturday night. Ferrer is now 4-7 lifetime against Nishikori.
Highlights:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnnHcnf55_c]
Nadal went up against doubles partner Juan Monaco in the championship of the Argentina Open. The good friends lost early in doubles this week but already have a title to their credit in 2015 (Doha). Nadal’s singles dominance of Monaco continued in the form of a 6-4, 6-1 rout. It was the first time the Argentine has taken at least four games in a clay-court set against Nadal in 14 attempts.
Highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddXd9lCz2dE
Congrats to all winners, especially Rafa after his long time out
This weekend Novak has joined the lost to Roger 20 times club. Club of one, no?
well, since Fed is one of the most (if not the most) successful tennis players in history, naturally it would hardly be a club of one, where are you trying to get?
Just comparing with Nadal who has a little club of people he has 20 wins against… you know, the stuff we write about from time to time.
Only Federer has not played so many times against an individual player as he has against Novak and Nadal. Not enough times, usually to get to 20 wins. Off the top of my head I thought he didn’t have 20 wins against anyone else. I was wrong, at least re Roddick, just looked this up: 21-3.
Against Murray: 12-11
Against Nadal: 10-23.
So is there anyone else in Roger’s 20 wins club besides Novak and Roddick?
Yeah.. Roddick will always have a thorn in his side whenever he recalls that Wimby final
I don’t think Roddick ever recovered from that loss to Fed in the 2009 Wimbledon final. He came so, so close. All he wanted was to win Wimbledon for his second slam. But it didn’t happen and he was never the same.