Court contrast
Source: Sacramento Bee (Original Article)
They’re European, stand 6-foot-1 and rank as the top two male tennis players in the world. After that, there’s little in common between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. In fact, they contrast so much, it’s uncanny. With Wimbledon beginning Monday, here are 10 big differences between them:
HOME
FEDERER: Switzerland, a landlocked country.
NADAL: Mallorca, an island in the Mediterranean Sea.
LANGUAGES
FEDERER: Fluent in Swiss-German, German, French and English.
NADAL: Native Spanish speaker struggles with English.
TENNIS AGE
Five-year difference is an eternity in professional tennis.
FEDERER: Middle-aged. Will turn 27 on Aug. 8.
NADAL: Young. Turned 22 on June 3.
HOLDS RACKET
FEDERER: Right-handed.
NADAL: Left-handed.
BACKHAND
FEDERER: One-handed.
NADAL: Two-handed.
BEST SURFACE
FEDERER: Grass and hard courts. Has won every Grand Slam tournament (multiple times) except the French Open. Is 5-2 against Nadal on grass and hard courts.
NADAL: Clay. Has never won a Grand Slam tournament other than the French Open (four times). Is 9-1 against Federer on clay.
DEVELOPMENT
FEDERER: His first Grand Slam title came at Wimbledon at 21 in his fifth attempt there. When you can hit every shot in the book, it takes a while to figure out how to use each one.
NADAL: Won his French Open debut at 19. Seemingly born with the ability to run all day and crush the ball.
TENNIS ATTIRE
FEDERER: Classic. Regular-length shorts and short-sleeve shirts. Solid black, white or navy. Even wore a sportcoat onto Center Court at Wimbledon. Looks as if he’s going to a tea party.
NADAL: Trendy. Capri pants extending below the knee) and sleeveless shirts. Garish colors. Looks as if he’s going the beach. All that’s missing are the pail and shovel.
PLAYING STYLE
FEDERER: Low Rate Credit Card Graceful. The Rudolf Nureyev of tennis.
NADAL: …continue reading