FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — Only moments after his nephew had dispatched Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny in the U.S. Open semifinals in straight sets 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, taking one step closer to his career Slam dream, Toni Nadal headed through the Ashe Stadium hallways, navigating a throng of well wishers.
“Very impressive.”
“Congratulations.”
“He’s looking good. He’s looking very fresh.”
“Si,si, si,” said Nadal. “He played really good today, but tomorrow is another day. Always, it’s very difficult.”
A mustachioed man reached out to tap Nadal on the shoulder. He was wearing a red “RF” Nike cap, official apparel of the enemy. It was Robert Federer, on his way to watch his son’s match against Serb Novak Djokovic in the second Super Saturday semi. Federer flashed a welcoming smile and offered a knowing nod. There was no exchange of pleasantries, no words at all. But none were needed. Both understood the importance of the moment, what was at stake.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer were perched on the precipice of tennis history, and were looking to become the first two players ever to contest the final at all four Grand Slam events. They almost achieved that feat here last year, but Nadal fell in the semis to eventual champion Juan Martin del Potro. A Rafa-Roger final would also mean a new record for the most Grand Slam finals between two players (eight). But there was a special importance for Nadal, who, should he win the final, would complete a career Slam and become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win three consecutive majors in a calendar year.
But in the Ashe underworld, Toni Nadal wasn’t getting ahead of himself.
“We must wait until tomorrow,” he told Inside Tennis. “It will be difficult to win this tournament. But if Rafael wins, it’s a big step for us. It’s very important.”
The buzz around the tennis world is that, should the world Nos. 1 and 2 meet in Flushing Meadows on Sunday afternoon, it would rank right up there with the most important matches of all time. We’re talking King–Riggs territory here. Mats Wilander, the ’88 U.S. Open champion, was awed by the very thought. “Massive,” he told the New York Post. “I think this is the biggest match of all time.” ESPN’s Brad Gilbert asserted that if it weren’t the most important of all time, it would certainly be the most important of the Open Era.
“That is for sure very important match, but is only one more match,” deflected Nadal, who has only been broken twice in six matches and has yet to drop a set at this year’s U.S. Open. “I think we played during both of our careers very important matches against each other. So, for sure this one is going to be something new, because it’s a different tournament. But for me it’s not [more] important than the final of Wimbledon 2008 or the final of Wimbledon 2007.”
Though a Nadal victory against Federer would cement (pardon the pun) the onetime Clay King’s spot in the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) conversation, the 24-year-old Spaniard, as usual, deferred to his Swiss counterpart.
“I would love to play against another player than Roger in the final, because he is the best,” he joked. “I really don’t believe I can arrive to the Roger’s level, no? What Roger did is something almost impossible to repeat. In my opinion, Roger is the best of the history, the best of the history that I ever see. I don’t know Rod Laver, how it was in the past, because I wasn’t in this world.”
