King of Clay Nadal

Last updated: 9th June 2008  

King of Clay Nadal

Rafael Nadal demolished Roger Federer in three one-sided sets to claim his fourth straight French Open title.

The 22-year-old Spaniard has matched Bjorn Borg with four straight titles and has never lost at Roland Garros in four appearances.

Is he the greatest clay-court player ever? How many French Open titles can he win? And can he transfer his brilliance to the grass of SW19 later this month?

Share your thoughts...

Comments (38)

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Nomusa Dube says...

i think Rafa will win wimbledon this year. he has been very consistance

Posted 09:42 1st July 2008

Kembabazi Jennifer says...

people always believe that rafa cant win any thing on grass but he showed every one on queens and i bet this year goes to nadal!

Posted 11:11 21st June 2008

Vio Fazakerley says...

What a brilliant era of tennis we have ahead of us. Not only do we have the man described as the 'greatest' by Sampras and Agassi, and I'm sure they know a little about it, but we have 2 huge talents and prentenders to the throne. There is no doubt that Nadal is the greatest clay court player already, having only lost something like 2 matches from 100. That speaks for itself. Great Tennis rivalry has also been a battle of styles, and of course Feds style is less suited to clay, yet he keeps reaching the final. He may not be at his supreme best, because he set such high standards. If he was still at his peak, then he would be hoovering up every title in sight, so it'e good to see other players names on Trophies. The important thing as a tennis fan, is that we are seeing some of the best tennis you could imagine. Fed is still favourite at wimbledon, but Nadal is the man to topple him, is he cannot peak for the final. fascinating stuff. Lets look forward to an amazing era!

Posted 12:03 19th June 2008

Matt Hilton says...

I really do hope we see Federer get back to form soon, I'm tired of people rattling on about how Nadal is going to take his crown etc etc. Nadal is incredible on clay, but all too human on other surfaces, and I hope that gets put into perspective at wimbledon!

Posted 02:08 19th June 2008

Zoheb Sidik says...

i dont know whats all this fuss about nadal has won the french open and people are like nadal is the greatest ever and hes the next big thing yes hes a good player but where has federer's accomplishment 12 grand slams gone un noticed? give me a break anyway come end of wimbledon and i guarantee who is going to win the the wimbledon and its going to be the swiss maestro the world no 1 federer without doubt cant believe all you people are so critical of him just cuz someone has won the french open as usual but why forget roger owns this grass grand slam end off.

Posted 23:02 18th June 2008

Arnold Adams says...

I cant possibly see why is is between these two for the wimbledon title this year. Surely players such as phillipousis & coria are in with a shout. It would be criminal to write them2 off.

Posted 14:08 17th June 2008

Mark Kirya says...

I would like the people contributing to tell me if Fed was anywhere near Nadal's sort of form when he was 22. Nadal is simply phenomenol and after his win at Queens should be a very seirous contender for SW19. I believe Fed has had his time and perhaps is on a downward spiral. It's just natural. Take no offence

Posted 13:11 17th June 2008

Lisa jane Marzaroli says...

I think Nadal is ready and able to beat anybody now! He has proved himself beyond a shadow of a doubt! Two years ago when he came into the game fairly new, I stood behind him 100%! Now it seems everyone and their auntie thinks that he is going to make it but only this year. Why the change of heart in so many people I ask? Lisa Jane Marzaroli

Posted 13:53 16th June 2008

Alex Watson says...

no way in hell will nadal ever beat federer at wimbledon. Federer is far to good on grass and in general, there is a reason he is number one in the world. at current federer is out of form yet he still reaches grand slam finals. even if he fails to win wimbledon this year i very much doubt he will be finished. he will dominate tennis for at least another 6 years

Posted 11:54 16th June 2008

Alan Kissane says...

I think its funny how everyone writes off Roger Federer just as they wax lyrical about Rafael Nadal. The truth is both players are fantastic but the facts speak for themselves: Federer has won 12 Grand Slams, Nadal 4. I know he's "only" 22 but it's like previous generations, one feeds off the other and need each other to do well. Before Federer Nadal was nothing, he has learnt a lot from his consistent defeats to the world's number one only to begin to win some back, especailly on clay. Likewise, the same thing is happening with Novac Djokovic; he too will improve and has an equal, if not better record, to Nadal on surfaces other than clay. Whilst the debate is whether Nadal is the best clay court player ever, well the truth is he must be. Federer has dominated the sport for years, as his record testifies, yet Nadal has still won 4 on the trot. It's not as if there's no competition. That aside Federer is still on course to be the greatest ever, and only time will tell whether he will match that with the US Open and Wimbledon this year or not. Even if he doesn't, too, I wouldn't write him off. He is a wonderful player and has felt heartache before - how many remember that he was a few matches from quitting tennis when he lost consecutive first round ties at Wimbledon when he was 18 and 19? All I'm saying is that whilst Nadal is playing the best tennis of his life Federer is not, yet he still consecutively reaches Grand Slam semi's (is it 16 on the bounce now?) and finals. Wimbledon will be the big test and if Nadal wins it may signal the end of Federer's reign as world number one. If, however, Nadal fails to win, or muc more importantly Federer beats him in the final then the psychological edge will have swung back to Roger. All in all, the most interesting tennis duo (or trio with the potentially world beating Djokovic) since Agassi / Sampras.

Posted 22:14 15th June 2008

Felix Good says...

Now then ... after this Queens victory i feel entitled to say what i have always said. Rafa Nadal will become a better player than Roger Federer. Wimbledon is certainly Rafa's, and the next 10 years of Roland Garros will also belong to Rafa, and this combined with a few Wimbledons and possibly a US open, and Nadal will be the best. The simple fact is, this man wants it more than everyone on the ATP tour put together. He is a gladiator, a genius, and someone even the biggest Federer fan must admire. Admire the man Acknowledge the Genius Rafael Nadal has done more than any player ever at his age RESPECT

Posted 20:00 15th June 2008

Ahmed Redwan says...

Federer cant be compared to people like sampras, agassi , borg or other legends of the sport because he hasn't had any real challengers/rivals until recently in the form of nadal and djokovic. if people say he's great cos he beat people like roddick, phillipousis and nalbandian then they need to rethink cos they arent world class players. compared to people like sampras who had to challenge the likes of agassi, ivanesavic, becker or borg who had edberg and wilander etc, he's had it easy. plus, nadal is better than federer at the current moment as he has added much more to his game whereas federer seems to have lost his game and ability to frighten other players. and to be the first person since bjorn borg to win 4 straight french opens at 22 is amazing.

Posted 16:27 15th June 2008

Giles Heather says...

I think some of these comments are from people who like to follow the crowd!!! Nadal will push Federer until the day he retires. Let us just get one thing straight, Rafa is only 22 and has already equalled BORG's record at the French open!!! This is unbelievable!!! Yes Fed is a great player, but he will never conquer the red stuff whereas Rafa will win Wimbledon, there is no question of that!!! May i remind everyone that Rafa is in the semis at Queen's, and i believe he will win this and wimbledon 2008. This is a man who will continue to improve on all surfaces and become number 1 by 2011. I can bet anyone who wishes to doubt.

Posted 14:13 14th June 2008

Master Miyagi says...

Well assuming Nadal and Federer both reach the final I think it would be naive to think the final will not be a very tight affair. From memory Nadal is the ONLY man to ever take a set off Federer in a Wimbledon Final and last year he was extremely close to winning it. I think Federer is a GREAT champion but I think Nadal has a stronger desire to win so he too can silence these Doubting Thomases LOL. But we are forgetting Novak although I don't think he is consistantly up to Fed and Nadals standard when he is in the mood he is a force to be reconed with!

Posted 13:35 12th June 2008

Gerard Benson says...

no point arguing about it nadal is the greatest ever on clay but federer is the greatest ever

Posted 20:49 11th June 2008

Beth Kingston says...

It is truly unbelievable the way in which everyone suddenly seems to have written Feds off just because he lost at Roland Garros yet again. In my book there really is no comparison between Feds and Nadal - at least Feds has shown that he can win on different surfaces unlike Nadal whose only claim to fame is 'king of clay'. Don't forget that Feds is chasing Sampras' record of 14 grand slams and if it weren't for the fact that he was ill before Australia and that he lacks the self belief that he can beat Rafa on clay, he may by now have equalled Sampras. It will be interesting to see if Nadal is anywhere near Federer's 12 grand slams by the time he is 26-somehow I doubt it!!! No matter what anyone claims Feds still has a few good years left in him(he's only 26 for god's sake not 46) and for all those doubting thomases out there I wonder how many of you could match Federer's achievements!!! There is no way Federer will just roll over and let anyone snatch away his Wimbledon crown without the fight of his life so you go Feds - we love you and can't wait to see you hold aloft the champion's trophy on 6th July!!!!

Posted 15:58 11th June 2008

Master Miyagi says...

I am not sure why people doubt Nadal can win on other surfaces, he has won a master series on hard court before which is the next best thing to a grand slam and he been to the Wimbledon Final twice and had he not faced the greatest player ever to play the game he would now have 6 grand slams to his name instead of 4. Nadal is a champion he has proved that time and time again put Novak in Federers side of the draw and lets see if the winner of Ferderer vs Djokvic can dominate Nadal in the final the way we saw Nadal dominate Federer in the French.....The pressure is definately mounting on Fed, ofcourse he is a Great champion but trying to chase Roland Gaross and Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand slams may just be taking its toll........If Fed doesn't win Wimbledon this season will be terrible for him!

Posted 13:58 11th June 2008

Arlette Stokes says...

I think Nadal is the best clay player ever. It is about time for someone else to be number one in the world. Federer did his part and impressed the world but he should have an open mind now and face that he cannot be number one forever. Nadal is the definite favourite for being number one, he has the skills the fitness and the drive!!

Posted 08:40 11th June 2008

Rick Stevens says...

I think it's a bit premature to say Nadal will win on other courts, especially Wimbledon. Just like Nadal is king of clay, Federer is king of grass and i am under no illusions about him winning a 6th consecutive Wimbledon. Hats off to Nadal, his dominance at roland garros has made him the greatest player but he's still behind federer in making his dominance count on other surfaces. For me djokovic is the big threat to federer going into wimbledon. He's a strong player, young, oozes confidence and will go well at wimbledon where there's more bounce and speed involved. But i still see a federer v djokovic/nadal final with Federer taking yet another grand slam

Posted 18:44 10th June 2008

John Devlin says...

How can anybody now say Federer the best ever, the best player ever should not lose in straight sets in a grandslam final, especially not 6-0 and he was not exactly fantastic the final the year before. Nadal to win SW19 and possibly to truely take the mantle of best ever. ~He is still only 22!!!

Posted 17:55 10th June 2008
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