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For the first time in 21 years there will be a Grand Slam without Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal

2020-08-04T21:10:30.601Z


The coronavirus pandemic led the Swiss to have surgery on his right knee and the Spaniard to decide not to compete in the US Open.


Hernán Sartori

08/04/2020 - 17:57

  • Clarín.com
  • sports

If something weirder was missing from the international sporting calendar 2020 is the data confirmed Tuesday: It will be the first time in 21 years that a Grand Slam tennis will not have the presence of Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal .

The last time that world sports fans had regretted this situation occurred at the 1999 US Open, for the simple reason that the Spaniard had not yet made his professional debut. That year, the Swiss, who had played in Australia and Wimbledon his first "greats", could not overcome the classification on American soil.

The streak will be cut at the United States Open that will begin on August 31 and one more blame will have to be placed on the coronavirus pandemic. Is that in June Federer decided to undergo surgery on his right knee, knowing that he would have more recovery time with a slowed schedule. And Nadal announced Tuesday not to go to New York due to the global health crisis and the increase in Covid-19 cases.

Federer continuously played the Grand Slams from the Australian Open 2000 to 2016. That is, 65 consecutive "big" tournaments . One more sample of its extraordinary validity and its character of legend.

The first time that Nadal coincided with Federer in a Grand Slam was at Wimbledon 2003, where the 17-year-old from Manacor reached the third round and the Swiss achieved the first of his eight titles in La Catedral , in straight sets, against Australian Mark Philippoussis .

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, at the 2019 Laver Cup.Photo: @LaverCup

During those 65 Grand Slam tournaments that Federer played consecutively, Nadal was not on seven occasions: at the Australian Open 2006 and 2013, at Roland Garros 2004, at Wimbledon 2004 and 2009, and at the 2012 United States Open and 2014.

On that fabulous streak of "big" Swiss tournaments, which catapulted him to the number one in the world by scandal, with long and short hair, without children and with children, with less and more million dollars in prizes, Federer conquered seven of his eight Wimbledon (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2012), his only Roland Garros (2009), his five consecutive US Open (2004 to 2008) and four of his six Australian Open (2004, 2006, 2007 and 2010)

Roger Federer and his 8 titles at Wimbledon Photo montage: AFP

A back injury sidelined Federer at Roland Garros 2016, but there was Nadal. Until that tournament, the Spanish had entered the scene strongly with the consecration in 9 of his 12 French Open (2005 to 2008 and 2010 to 2014), in his only Australian Open (2009), in his only two Wimbledon (2008 and 2010) and in two of his four wins at the US Open (2010 and 2013).

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, gala at the 2019 Laver Cup.Photo: Reuters

Federer did not play the 2016 US Open and the 2017 and 2018 Roland Garros for different reasons, but he also reached his 20 Grand Slams with wins at the 2017 and 2018 Australian Open, and at Wimbledon 2017.

Since Wimbledon 2016, meanwhile, Nadal has not missed a Grand Slam, as he will now with the United States Open due to the coronavirus. And he conquered Roland Garros between 2017 and 2019, and the US Open of 2017 and 2019.

Rafael Nadal and his 12 titles at Roland Garros.Photo montage: AFP

Seeing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal compete face to face on the courts was a captivating condiment for any sports fan. Neither of them will now be at Flushing Meadows. It will be a different postcard. Something that did not happen for 21 years in a Grand Slam. A huge shame. But they will return. And that is what counts.

HS

Source: clarin

All news articles on 2020-08-04

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