Nadal-Federer, from James Tar
Surprising that this is the first time they will meet in the Australian Open (the final) as they are the game's two most dominant players of the last 4 years, and not surprising as Nadal often has difficulty matching his claycourt prowess on hardcourts on which this tournament is played, we all get a marvelous treat late Saturday Night (or early Sunday am) to see these two battle it out for the title of the year's first Grand Slam.
The questions surrounding this match are many, but the keys:
1. Can Federer master his own surprising mental inadequacies often revealed during past battles with Nadal?
2. Will he revenge his Wimbledon loss and 4 successive French Open defeats?
3. Can Nadal win a Grand Slam on a hardcourt?
4. Will Nadal's fitness hold up after a 5 hour semifinal?
Impossible to know what will happen, just as it is impossible to know if this market has reached a bottom. Past Grand Slam Nadal/Federer encounters and SPX reaction over the next week or two:
French Open 2005 - Nadal def. Federer semifinal - SPX flat
French Open 2006 - Nadal def. Federer final - SPX lower
Wimbledon 2006 - Federer def. Nadal final - SPX higher
French Open 2007 - Nadal def. Federer final - SPX lower
Wimbledon 2007 - Federer def. Nadal final - SPX higher
French Open 2008 - Nadal def. Federer final - SPX lower
Wimbledon 2008 - Nadal def. Federer final - SPX lower
Australian Open - Nadal vs. Federer final - SPX ?
Should be a great match………