Howdy. I missed the first exhibition battle between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal because of a conflict, but I can't exactly say I was surprised to see that it went three sets, with Roger storming back from the loss of the first set to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
It was a feel good moment for Federer's countrymen, who've never had the pleasure of witnessing Roger play Rafa on Swiss soil. So everybody wins, except Rafa, but don't you worry—his moment is coming, too.
One of the things I like about this set-up is that nobody is blowing it full of hot air, or billing it The Rivalry, XXV. Actually, these two have met more than 25 times (the official head-to-head is 14-8 favor of Nadal). Who can forget that monstrous half-clay, half-grass, half-@ss exo of a few years ago? I can't imagine that anyone but the most addled of Federer fans is going to stick this result in the win column for Roger, but you never know. . .
I guess I'm going out on a limb here, for a guy who didn't see the match. But I am looking forward to watching today's telecast with you all, live from Madrid. If I were a betting man, I'd pick Rafa in three. This may be the only in history when even the most obsessive Federer fans can honestly say, "My guy doesn't stand a chance!"
You know what I'm curious about, having missed the first exo? Just how these guys will manage to make it look like a match. There's an art to that, you know. Back in the day, the guys used to agree to split the first two sets and more-or-less play out the third as competitively as either guy wants. Usually, neither guy wanted to be too competitive (among other things, it makes you feel a bit of a butthead), but the funny thing is that at some point you do have to decide whether you're going to hit that serve right down the pipe with all the arm you've got at 4-4, deuce. And why would you intentionally dump an easy passing shot, if the other guy was lazy, indifferent, or casual enough to hit a really lousy approach? Staging an exciting exo is tricky, kind of like synchronized swimming.
Back when you had guys like McEnroe, Connors, Borg and Gerulaitis going at it in exos, you could count on at least a little bit of the animosity, jealousy, or innate sense of superiority bubbling to the surface to add an unpredictable element to even an exhibition. But this truly is different, for a variety or reasons, including the charitable nature of the event and the friendship that exists between these rivals. I like that neither of these fellas is trying to cloak it with meaning. I'm not even sure that "exhibition" is the right word to describe these matches. "Demonstration" or even "celebration" might be more appropriate. What the hail, it's been a cold winter so far in Europe, but this two-off exo is providing a bit of warmth.
"I'm just so proud and happy that we made it all work," Roger said after his win.
As victory speeches go, it was more Oscars than Oz Open.
"It was an unforgettable experience," Rafa said. "I'm very happy to be part of this event."
As runner-up speeches go, it was heart-warming. And isn't it nice, once in a while, to get a break from "heart-rending?"
I'll be back with a Racquet Reaction post on today's match soon after it ends. Enjoy!
- Pete