Me... probably wasn't the best idea haha. This was a very frustrating match. I knew in my bones as soon as Federer missed that 1st set drop shot (up 5-2) that Nadal would win it.
Federer always does this against Nadal and Djokovic.Misses way too many good opportunities.I remember USO2015 final when he played against Djokovic and he had something like 22 or 23 bbreak points and used only 4 of them.
I'm a fed fan.. he played so so so good.. if he won that first set it could have been different maybe.. Nadal is god of clay sadly.. I'm hoping for a miracle day after
Federer played unbelivably good in the first 3 sets, Nadals wins the first 2 sets mentally but in the first set especially Federer is playing unreal tennis don't forget that he beat 2011 Novak in the semis but Rafa was unbeatable in that period at Roland Garros
5:37 this stat shows why Federer has lost so many of the tie-breaks and crucial games/sets vs. Nadal & Djokovic. His first serve which is normally very effective just goes away in pressure moments. You cannot beat Novak and Rafa with 2nd serves on big points they're not going to miss and they're better in the rallies than Roger he needs his 1st serve for some free points! No matter the outcome of the match, he should've won the first set BUT missed 5 first serve out of 6 points!
Nadal is fortunate to have won that 4th set. If it went 5, Federer has an uncanny ability to break early in sets and run it out. Federer was an incredible 5 set player as well!
I say he was closer in 2006, 2005 even 2007, in 2011 he was down two sets to love and 4/2 ...almost lost in straight sets 3/0...not to mention he got breadsticked in the fourth.
This match was dramatic All the first three sets were extremely competitive Nadal held his nerve at key moments and won 2 of the 3 sets Nonetheless it is the best quality French open final between Fedrer and Nadal ! Not to forget Fedrer played his best match on clay against djokovic in the semi final!!
It is amazing how good Roger was in 2011 and still didnt won a single Grand Slam... 3 for Novak and 1 for Nadal these two were on another level that year
not really. roger just choked at wimbledon and choked at USO. he should have won both if he wasn't mentally weak. he was clearly the best player, and yet he was already past his prime, which was around 2004-2006.
On such a physically demanding surface, it's amazing to watch Rafa beating such extraordinary players who give all their heart.. Federer and Nole especially in their top form and unable to beat him.. Legendary Rafa
Federer was never bad on Clay. Biggest miss conception in his career. Even a Goated Fed couldn't beat a young Rafa. The dude is/was just on an Anime BS Power Level in RG Finals 😂
@@naveed210 Novak was beaten by Stan in the finals here in 2015. Stan was playing at the highest level of tennis I've seen him play ever. Novak has never reached the level Rafa or Stan in 2015 have ever reached. And yes, PRIME Fed on clay is better than PRIME Novak on clay.
@@TheFlash3237 Novak’s overall level surpasses Nadal’s by far, same for Fed v Nadal. Nadal has never been rocked enough on Clay, but Fed/Djok’s numbers on overall surfaces trash all over Rafa. Clay is pulling him up.
I am here after Rafa’s 14th Roland Garros. Unbeatable in finals. Rafa’s defensive skills are unmatched in the history of tennis and it is what has helped him win 22 grand slams. Balls that other players can’t or won’t get back Rafa gets to them and forces the opponent to play another ball and he turns it around to offense.His return of serves that would otherwise would be an ace has given his opponents so much trouble. Roger was in his prime here and would of given any othrbplayer a beat down with his talent but he just couldn
the biggest difference between Nadal / Federer and Djokovic is the way they can absolutely destroy slice balls. in the Djokovic-match Federer was successful with the slice backhand, against Nadal however he gets killed.
exactly, the slice made difference against djokovic because it lands to his backhand and give federer more time, but against nadal it lands to his forehand. with his monster arm and iron wrist nadal kills those slices
dedfed321 Nadal also ran around his backhand to hit the forehand a lot. Djokovic doesn't really have the option in his game to really crush slices. Federer is very good at that himself with his forehand. This was a smart match from Federer. He sliced his backhand, got a neutral rallyball back and then attacked Djokovic. Djokovic is great on the defence and great at turning defence into offense in a heartbeat, but he's not like Federer or Nadal, who can really destroy slow slices. Different game.
Yup playing slices against Nadal is a very bad strategy, I remember his encounter with Santoro which is a guy whos entire game is dependent on slices and he usually gives opponents a headache, but he was absolutely demolished against Nadal, not only did those slices not bother Nadal at all, it was actually in his advantage as it gives him time to prepare his shots , and there is one thing you don't want to give Nadal and that is time to take his shots.
Federer was 29 here, If I'm not wrong. And we used to think he was old. Today Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer are the top three tennis players, and they're 31, 32, and 37 respectively.
we r in for a TRUE weak era once these 3 monsters retire. bcuz take into consideration that their retirement wil also coincide with the retirements of other great players like berdych/tsonga/feli lopez/wawrinka/etc tsitsipas couldn't even get over the finishing line against "old" wawrinka at RG. stan at his best defeats tsitsipas easily. & i've included lopez bcuz he would school tsitsipas/zverev etc on grass at wimbledon for example at his best. it wouldn't b just a case of the BIG 3 retiring making it easy for youngsters, it would b those other great players i've mentioned.
Let's be neutral and clear, Federer might be the ultimate goat but no one will ever be better and stronger than Nadal on clay that's a FACT. Rafa's supremacy on clay surpass every level EVER reached from any other tennis player at any era and any surface. Federer is the greatest player but Nadal reached the highest level in history. Both are legends and both are in the Mount Rushmore of Tennis.
I agree with Uranova's comment about Nadal, but I also agree with this comment. Nadal on Clay and Pete on Grass/Indoors are highest levels on those surfaces.
It wasn't the best tournament from Nadal, but from 1-4 in the first set until the end he played for me his best match on clay. Just imagine how good was RF performance to be so close until 4th set.
The level of performance was incredibly high at the French Open and US Open that year. Peak Rafa, Peak Novak, and Roger were peak level performers on clay only. If anyone other than them wins this tournament, they should be celebrated for generations to come.
True, actually, I think it was his best French Open... unbelievable in the Djokovic match... and he actually played at the same level in the final. Was great in all lost sets.
Federer is actually pretty good on clay (or any court surface) due to his excellent footwork, but no one barely remembers him making it many times all the way to the final of RG. They just all remember him losing to Rafa in the finals :P
It's basically the same for Nadal on the Australian Open, he lost four times in the finals winning one, in fact Nadal's loses are tougher since he was very close two times, by being a break up in the fifth set both against Djokovic in 2012 and against Federer in 2017, and he lost the 2014 final to Wawrinka because of an injury. But no one seems to be mentioning this as aggressively as they do with Federer on the French Open even though Federer never really had any chance against Nadal in all of his attempts.
Federer was the second best clay court player in the world for quite a while. In any other time period he would have more clay court titles. IT was not his naturally best surface so he had to work extremely hard to get there. But he is talented and persistent. Kind of like Nadal on grass- not his naturally best surface but he is talented at tennis and was driven to win. So it mut have been heartbreaking to put in all that hard work and finally get to that point- but then barely reap any rewards because the greatest claycourt player ever happens to come along at that point.
There should be a reason/motivation to have that toughness in you ...By 2010 /11 you see he had already won 16 grand slams passed Pete and already taken a lead ...Novak had only 1 slam Rafa had 6 or 7 and he was dominating on Clay... Consider you're Roger at that time and what must be going through your mind...That already you;re in Pole position and Nobody is there to overtake you ....so he always had to play his regular game which was already a higher level of mental toughness and he was not required to go that extra yard to achieve something which he had already done...
@@raobuctdeerf RF 5 - 2 up with set point on First set. Full control even in the rally. But under mental pressure missed that. RN gain confidence from that point and RF mental confidence plummeted from that decisive moment. RF did not manage to regain his mental strength rest of the match. That is the dark story RF's entire career. RN won mental battle amazingly. RF mental vulnerability really differentiates him among mental giant like RN and ND
@@raobuctdeerf Bullshit. If Nadal or Djokovic were in that position (16 slams already by 2010 or there around they would keep going and trying to adapt and improve and never get complacent and relying on the same strategies. You just kind of proved the original threads point of Federers mental toughness which isnt up to par with his actual talent and ability
it's astonishing how many Federer fans peddle that BS. Nadal DID NOT take any MTO. He got something on his foot fixed during a changeover before his own serve down 2-5. It was a regular changeover, maybe a minute extra and Federer had a set point in the following game on Nadal's serve where he missed the dropshot and Nadal took control from that point . I don't know where this nonsense started but it seems every delusional Fed fan is somehow convinced that Nadal took an MTO and broke Federer's rhythm. It's a complete lie. The match is on d a i l y m o t i o n, go and watch it if you don't believe me.
@DS Nah. It should have been 3-0 Federer. Federer started the second set poorly only because he choked the first set. Fed was no doubt the better player in the first three sets. Full credit to Nadal for being the mentally stronger player and pulling a hoodini.
Yes, but even these 2 had their ass seriously wooped by Rafa on clay. Soderling was impressive in 2009, but in 2010 & 2011 he got banged. Djokovic beat Nadal in 3 straights sets in 2015 but has a 1-6 record against Rafa at the french. Very very difficult to beat him
@@TheFlash3237 Fucking idiots. Djokovic in this year won 2 clay matches in a row against Nadal. Djokovic H2H against Nadal on Clay since 2010 is 7:7. Djokovic H2H at RG since 2010 is 1:3 with RG semifinal where Nadal was 2:4 in fifth decisive set so it could easily be 2:2 since 2010. Who comments this sport my god.
I don't know about winning the match but Roger definitely should've closed that first set! Obviously, Rafa also struggled to close the 2nd set after being up a break twice and having squandered set points but eventually he did, unlike Roger who didn't close out the 1st set! There's a huge difference between one set all or 2 sets down and that might have made the difference in the end.
It would have made 0 difference. Nadal dominates the H2H over Djokovic 6-1 at Roland Garros. Also, if Djokovic was unable to defeat Federer, let alone Nadal who destroyed Federer.
@@srkucrickk it was 2011 things were different on clay that year, Djokovic defeated Nadal in straight sets in the 2 meetings on clay that year.......So it would have made hell lot of a difference my dear
@@srkucrickk Yes it would.Nadal didnt destroy fedderer(fedderer also shouldev had won the 1st set).It shouldev had been 2-1 for fedderer.Add that nadal has stylistic preference of facing fedderer,especially on faster courts.
@@srkucrickk You are ignoring that tennis is literally all about match ups. For Djokovic, Federer is kind of a bad matchup, while Nadal is waay better for him. He can neutralize his FH with his monstrous consistent BH even on clay, let alone the fact that we are talking about 2011, Djokovic in his absolute peak. 2 years later he went on an 5 setter against Nadal and almost ended up beating him(literally), so I still believe he could have beaten Nadal here. I mean, even for Federer it took his absolute best clay performance to take him out, I just can't see Nadal beating him(at this point it was a mental game too, Djokovic was owning Rafa even on clay that year..) Let's just say that Nadal was more happy with Federer in the final than Djokovic :) He would agree on this too.
wangster Only fools belive that Rafa was not happy to face Federer in the final rather then Djokovic. Everybody who understands tennis knows that Djokovic is a much worser match up then what Federer has ever been. The match between Federer and Djokovic in the semifinals I was cheering for Djokovic to go to the final and definitely not Federer because I have had enough of seeing predictable Federer-Nadal French Open finals and I am a Federer fan do I even need to say more?? Of course not you all get my point.
That drop shot on the set point in the first set.. if that doesn’t go out… then Federer has a really good chance keeping it close. A short first set won against nadal is a dream start.
Federer played way better here than in RG finals of 2006 n 2007... his backhand was improved a lot as far as playing it on clay is concerned.. still lost .. Simply Rafael Nadal
I would've loved to see his 2017 BH on clay, oh well Nadal on the other hand is having one of the most dominant FO runs in his career; losing a total of 28 games coming to the final...beast.
agreed. RF mental confidence hammered him both FO 06 and FO 11. RN mental resilience along with skill gave him victory this 2 FO. RF got skill but mentally always vulnerable facing RN on clay. He seriously need mental adjustment.
A lot of times Federer's level used to drop when he is in front. After watching this i believe Federer had a good chance of winning this match, he should try his chances at another RG not this year maybe the next.
Nadal is a absolute goat... He is Supreme in both clay and hard court.. Although he had not achieve many grandslam in hard court but the number of Runner-up in hard court also proof his legacy in hard court... He only faced some problem when he played in grass...so undoubtedly Rafael Nadal is a goat in tennis and ultimate phenomenal 😍😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
He's already having a state of himself at the entrance, but no tournament will ever name something after a non-native player. So no Federer/Sampras court at Wimbledon and no Djokovic arena at the Australian.
Umair Yaseen Why ? because he played great the five first games and then crack up mentally for the rest of the match ? hell to the naw. He lost because Nadal owned him mentally in that time because he was better, that's it.
besides the magnificent high level tennis which is played, let's appreciate there's no drama or unsportsmanlike behavior.. never a racket broke with these 2 guys.. just very good tennis
Federer’s 2nd biggest choke against Nadal, right behind the AO 2009. Should’ve won the first and third set. Idk how a fifth set would’ve gone but I’d gather Federer would’ve been pretty competitive in it
It's crazy to see how much the French Open crowds like Nadal now compared to before when they were rooting against him. Props to Nadal for never reacting to them that much
Brimming with renewed confidence after stopping Novak, no longer had the burden of finally winning the French and completing the career (or calendar) slam, Nadal not at his absolute best. This was his shot, and he biffed it.
Yup. TBH, I was apprehensive about Rafa facing Novak in the final. He was in Rafas head. I won't say he would have lost to Novak but it would have been a brutal battle. At a minimum. Just like with Roger. This is the best Roger has played at the French, by far. His level against peak Novak was insane and he was timing the ball superbly. Not an easy match for Rafa at all.
How could you say Nadal was not at his best.... He would have maybe been beaten if Novak had been to the finals....Otherwise even an injured Nadal would heal his injury and play like a God in RG..
Federer really did have a mental block against Nadal on clay, look at his face expressions at 4:59. He's frustrated, uncomfortable, its almost like he knew he was going to lose the set already honestly. You can see it in his eyes. Some say Fed lost these finals before stepping onto the court against Rafa, looking back at these matches and I start to agree with them. Of course, I don't think that Federer could have won this match even if he ended up winning the first set. He was done at start of the 4th already, so most likely it would have been Nadal in 4 or 5 still. It's just painful the way Roger lost those matches, especially this one..
Honestly the mental block was also created by Nadal. When you hit aggressive shots you expect to be in control but Nadal returns deep and makes it uncomfortable to continue attacking. It's not as black and white as just a mental block and that's why Nadal has only lose here thrice.
Nadal has defeated Federer all six times they've met at Roland Garros, four times in the finals and twice in semis. Federer would have had what, maybe 28 to 30 Slams if Nadal didn't exist? Absolutely insane. Nadal was the perfect player to defeat Federer, and that's precisely what's happened.
absolutely credible. even if he won that first set which he should, there is still no guarantee at all to beat rafa on clay. for about 10 years, it was just impossible to win 3 sets against that guy on clay. challenge him, maybe, but win? nah...
I just purchased the black and white 97 Autograph. After hitting with it for 30 minutes I asked myself why on Earth did he not switch to this frame (it was developed in 2013) or even consider a 95 sq in like Djokovic earlier? His backhand would not have been a liability at all. I'm a Rafa fan but I've got to admit I now understand why Rafa lost 5 straight matches to him on hard in 2017. Clay is another matter but at 38 Roger still managed the semis and he was competitive for 2 sets and Rafa did not attack his backhand a whole lot if anyone noticed.
Maybe in clay. Although peak clay Roger would put up a good fight. Honestly Federer had a solid chance at winning this match. On grass, Nadal would get crushed. Especially with Federer's new ferocious backhand and racket. Nadal simply doesn't have the time to get around the ball and produce high spin powerful forehands to Federer's backhand.
EXTRA STAMINA FULL, SUPER STRONG FULL AND TOP SUPER RANKING PLAYERS IN THIS GAME.................. PARTICIPANTS IS EXTRA STRONG FULL, TECHNICAL FULL, PRACTICE FULL, STAMINA FULL, ENERGY FULL AND POWERFUL........ UNDESIRABLES SERVICE, DESTROY FULL FOREHANDS, ATTRACTIVE FULL RETURN , WINNING STYLISH SHOTS, AND ALL THINGS SEEN IN THIS GAME................... VERY TUFF AND POWERFUL GAME , BUT WINER IS WONDERFUL.............
ive been a federer fan since the sampras match. the man is a once in a lifetime talent but i think his arrogance is what cost him important matches against nadal he would be playing winning tennis until the points became important and then he would seem to get nervous as a federer fan i felt bad because i know if he played with no fear of losing he would have won this match and many others vs nadal but i feel nadal was born to if nothing else to force federer to play longer to protect his grand slam lead so in a way iam happy that nadal came around because we all know that federer is as close to perfection that you will ever see on a tennis court so to have watched him show his gifts for all of these years nadal just came along to show that hes still human atleast on clay anyway
Federer's best chance to win against Nadal on a RG final, the first set was a big opportunity for him and you could see the real disapointment on his face in how the set was gone from him in a hurry, eventhough it wouldnt garantee him the win in the final that first set could've give him confidence for the next sets or so, as a huge Fed fan it still hurts me how he sometimes failed mentally against the spaniard,but take nothing from Nadal, the guy is a fucking machine on clay and RG is forever his backyard
@@bwp2bruce There's nothing in Federer's game that is strategic, in fact all of Nadal, Murray and Djokovic are more strategic. Federer relies on talent and shot making to win, if those are not working he is toast simple as that, there's nothing in his game that is strategic.
Federer avait produit du très bon tennis, déjà en demi contre djoko invaincu de la saison et en finale contre Nadal aussi. Balles de 6/2 dans le 1er set, triple balle de break début du 4ème, score du dernier set sévère, mais ce sacré Nadal a une défense hors norme, Federer n'avait pas démérité sans déjouer
Some people should get over it. Nadal was NEVER going to lose this final to Federer. Even if Federer would have won the first set it wouldn't save him.
@@masters.1000 hmmm because Nadal is 13-2 overall against Federer on clay, Because he was 4-0 against Nadal on The French Open before this match, Because Nadal only lost one best of five set match on clay in his entire career before this match, because Nadal never (that's right) lost a single five set match on clay. I can keep going, but if you don't get the picture I guess there wouldn't be any point.
@@gherbihicham8506 Those are just numbers, You never know what might happen on the day that they are playing, The mental aspect plays a huge role, Nerves might set in, He might start struggling mentally since he has to keep up that flawless record, hence he could start mis-hitting some crucial shots. I am just saying Stats cannot predict what happens in the future. Everybody has an opportunity even if it might be slim. you just never know.
Wrong. Anybody that understands tennis knows Federer should have won in straight sets. Simply put, Nadal just won it mentally. He was average at RG that year and Djokovic would have thrashed him.
Brilliant performance from Federer even though he lost. Ive never seen him play this well on a clay court again.
lammie001 You know Federer isn’t that bad on clay. He plays well but just can’t beat Rafa
@@viksinha5410 peak rafa on clay is the highest level of tennis ever produced
@@agl4044 no pete on grass is definitely not nadal.
RG 2019 Federer’s level was very good
@@animanga9597 No bro. Don't lie to yourself. No tennis player has ever reached a higher level than Rafa at a RG final. No one!!
Who's watching this before their RG 2019 Semis?
Me... probably wasn't the best idea haha. This was a very frustrating match. I knew in my bones as soon as Federer missed that 1st set drop shot (up 5-2) that Nadal would win it.
Me
@@flyforce16
Yes i saw this match live in 2011 such a heart breaking first set
Federer always does this against Nadal and Djokovic.Misses way too many good opportunities.I remember USO2015 final when he played against Djokovic and he had something like 22 or 23 bbreak points and used only 4 of them.
@@105darker
Yes even wimbledon 2014 final federer coulld have won that match also
federer clearly played his best tennnis, but still loses to nadal like this. Nadal is just incredible on clay. what can you say..
sj y fed played bad in this match he choked and didnt have confidence.
I'm a fed fan.. he played so so so good.. if he won that first set it could have been different maybe.. Nadal is god of clay sadly.. I'm hoping for a miracle day after
Federer played unbelivably good in the first 3 sets, Nadals wins the first 2 sets mentally but in the first set especially Federer is playing unreal tennis don't forget that he beat 2011 Novak in the semis but Rafa was unbeatable in that period at Roland Garros
@Joseph D T what a dumbass you are... What is wrong with you and Federer? Clown.
@Joseph D T I love your comments LOL
5:37 this stat shows why Federer has lost so many of the tie-breaks and crucial games/sets vs. Nadal & Djokovic. His first serve which is normally very effective just goes away in pressure moments. You cannot beat Novak and Rafa with 2nd serves on big points they're not going to miss and they're better in the rallies than Roger he needs his 1st serve for some free points! No matter the outcome of the match, he should've won the first set BUT missed 5 first serve out of 6 points!
Nadal is fortunate to have won that 4th set. If it went 5, Federer has an uncanny ability to break early in sets and run it out. Federer was an incredible 5 set player as well!
This is the closest Federer has ever come to beating Nadal at the French Open.
Almost losing 3-0 ?
I say he was closer in 2006, 2005 even 2007, in 2011 he was down two sets to love and 4/2 ...almost lost in straight sets 3/0...not to mention he got breadsticked in the fourth.
French Open 2006
This match was dramatic
All the first three sets were extremely competitive
Nadal held his nerve at key moments and won 2 of the 3 sets
Nonetheless it is the best quality French open final between Fedrer and Nadal !
Not to forget Fedrer played his best match on clay against djokovic in the semi final!!
@@HIMYMTR Actually Federer almost took Rafa to 5 sets
Lead 5-2 in the first. 6-7 second set. 7-5 3rd set.
It is amazing how good Roger was in 2011 and still didnt won a single Grand Slam... 3 for Novak and 1 for Nadal these two were on another level that year
not really. roger just choked at wimbledon and choked at USO. he should have won both if he wasn't mentally weak. he was clearly the best player, and yet he was already past his prime, which was around 2004-2006.
On such a physically demanding surface, it's amazing to watch Rafa beating such extraordinary players who give all their heart.. Federer and Nole especially in their top form and unable to beat him.. Legendary Rafa
Nole beat him in 2015 at Roland Garros, don't forget that please. And don't forget SF 2013, Nole was near to beat him
@@darlak7881 2015 was probably the worst year of Nadals career and he played nothing like his usual self in that match vs Novak.
@@tommichie5402 yes. Nole beat him at MonteCarlo 2013, Madrid 2011, Rome 2011/ 2014/2016, near to beat him Madrid 2009. Etc
@@darlak7881 2013 was a good match up but 2015 it was onedided with nole being in the form of his life And Nadal injured
@@darlak7881 average nadal haters
Federer was never bad on Clay. Biggest miss conception in his career.
Even a Goated Fed couldn't beat a young Rafa.
The dude is/was just on an Anime BS Power Level in RG Finals 😂
Do you think Fed at his best on clay would beat Djok 2015/16 on clay?
@@naveed210 yes
@@naveed210 Novak was beaten by Stan in the finals here in 2015. Stan was playing at the highest level of tennis I've seen him play ever. Novak has never reached the level Rafa or Stan in 2015 have ever reached. And yes, PRIME Fed on clay is better than PRIME Novak on clay.
@@naveed210 He beat 2011 Novak in the SF so yes, but it would be a 5set 5hour match for sure
@@TheFlash3237 Novak’s overall level surpasses Nadal’s by far, same for Fed v Nadal. Nadal has never been rocked enough on Clay, but Fed/Djok’s numbers on overall surfaces trash all over Rafa. Clay is pulling him up.
The angles that rafa gets on RG clay is insane !!
From 5/2 to 5/7
That's a lot for my heart
Honestly, the 2011 balls were just amazing. Watching this surface + ball combination is satisfying beyond belief.
I am here after Rafa’s 14th Roland Garros. Unbeatable in finals. Rafa’s defensive skills are unmatched in the history of tennis and it is what has helped him win 22 grand slams. Balls that other players can’t or won’t get back Rafa gets to them and forces the opponent to play another ball and he turns it around to offense.His return of serves that would otherwise would be an ace has given his opponents so much trouble. Roger was in his prime here and would of given any othrbplayer a beat down with his talent but he just couldn
the biggest difference between Nadal / Federer and Djokovic is the way they can absolutely destroy slice balls. in the Djokovic-match Federer was successful with the slice backhand, against Nadal however he gets killed.
Why you think that Nadal eats it up ? Is it because of nadal's extreme lag before a shot therefore he makes the ball drop quicker than any player.
exactly, the slice made difference against djokovic because it lands to his backhand and give federer more time, but against nadal it lands to his forehand. with his monster arm and iron wrist nadal kills those slices
dedfed321 Nadal also ran around his backhand to hit the forehand a lot. Djokovic doesn't really have the option in his game to really crush slices. Federer is very good at that himself with his forehand. This was a smart match from Federer. He sliced his backhand, got a neutral rallyball back and then attacked Djokovic. Djokovic is great on the defence and great at turning defence into offense in a heartbeat, but he's not like Federer or Nadal, who can really destroy slow slices. Different game.
Yup playing slices against Nadal is a very bad strategy, I remember his encounter with Santoro which is a guy whos entire game is dependent on slices and he usually gives opponents a headache, but he was absolutely demolished against Nadal, not only did those slices not bother Nadal at all, it was actually in his advantage as it gives him time to prepare his shots , and there is one thing you don't want to give Nadal and that is time to take his shots.
yeah todays players could butcher the old lagends if you put them both in their respective prime's in a Pro court filled with energy
Federer was 29 here, If I'm not wrong. And we used to think he was old. Today Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer are the top three tennis players, and they're 31, 32, and 37 respectively.
we r in for a TRUE weak era once these 3 monsters retire. bcuz take into consideration that their retirement wil also coincide with the retirements of other great players like berdych/tsonga/feli lopez/wawrinka/etc
tsitsipas couldn't even get over the finishing line against "old" wawrinka at RG. stan at his best defeats tsitsipas easily.
& i've included lopez bcuz he would school tsitsipas/zverev etc on grass at wimbledon for example at his best.
it wouldn't b just a case of the BIG 3 retiring making it easy for youngsters, it would b those other great players i've mentioned.
That comeback in the first set was just fabulous
Let's be neutral and clear, Federer might be the ultimate goat but no one will ever be better and stronger than Nadal on clay that's a FACT.
Rafa's supremacy on clay surpass every level EVER reached from any other tennis player at any era and any surface. Federer is the greatest player but Nadal reached the highest level in history.
Both are legends and both are in the Mount Rushmore of Tennis.
Uranova thank you for the obvious
Abstar Galaxy no pete achieved the highest tennis level not nadal or federer but pete.
Ethan istanforCBE Nope there’s no arguing against 86-2, with the two losses being to inspired opponents while Nadal was either hobbled or rusty
Ethan istanforCBE great comment
I agree with Uranova's comment about Nadal, but I also agree with this comment. Nadal on Clay and Pete on Grass/Indoors are highest levels on those surfaces.
It wasn't the best tournament from Nadal, but from 1-4 in the first set until the end he played for me his best match on clay. Just imagine how good was RF performance to be so close until 4th set.
I liked their outfit blue against red so nice:)
back when nike knew what they were doing
As a Fed fan, I remember this match fondly for some reason, especially if I only watch the first 19:20 of highlights.
The level of performance was incredibly high at the French Open and US Open that year.
Peak Rafa, Peak Novak, and Roger were peak level performers on clay only.
If anyone other than them wins this tournament, they should be celebrated for generations to come.
for me that was roger's best rg final against nadal
it was only a dream for federer. Nadal iS The GOAT
True, actually, I think it was his best French Open... unbelievable in the Djokovic match... and he actually played at the same level in the final. Was great in all lost sets.
In fact, he played better in the 2006 Roland Garros final against Nadal...
David Marcano Salcedo
nahh
According to the statistics... yes.
Federer is actually pretty good on clay (or any court surface) due to his excellent footwork, but no one barely remembers him making it many times all the way to the final of RG. They just all remember him losing to Rafa in the finals :P
The god of clay blocked his way of getting Roland Garros.
It's basically the same for Nadal on the Australian Open, he lost four times in the finals winning one, in fact Nadal's loses are tougher since he was very close two times, by being a break up in the fifth set both against Djokovic in 2012 and against Federer in 2017, and he lost the 2014 final to Wawrinka because of an injury.
But no one seems to be mentioning this as aggressively as they do with Federer on the French Open even though Federer never really had any chance against Nadal in all of his attempts.
Federer was the second best clay court player in the world for quite a while. In any other time period he would have more clay court titles. IT was not his naturally best surface so he had to work extremely hard to get there. But he is talented and persistent. Kind of like Nadal on grass- not his naturally best surface but he is talented at tennis and was driven to win. So it mut have been heartbreaking to put in all that hard work and finally get to that point- but then barely reap any rewards because the greatest claycourt player ever happens to come along at that point.
@@gherbihicham8506 He did in 2007 and this match here.
Roger grew up on clay just like Rafa. However his style allowed him to excel on every surface. Nadal's style is perfect for clay court tennis.
I strongly believe if RF would have improved his mental game and toughness like RN / ND. he would have won 25 GS by now.
There should be a reason/motivation to have that toughness in you ...By 2010 /11 you see he had already won 16 grand slams passed Pete and already taken a lead ...Novak had only 1 slam Rafa had 6 or 7 and he was dominating on Clay... Consider you're Roger at that time and what must be going through your mind...That already you;re in Pole position and Nobody is there to overtake you ....so he always had to play his regular game which was already a higher level of mental toughness and he was not required to go that extra yard to achieve something which he had already done...
@@raobuctdeerf RF 5 - 2 up with set point on First set. Full control even in the rally. But under mental pressure missed that. RN gain confidence from that point and RF mental confidence plummeted from that decisive moment. RF did not manage to regain his mental strength rest of the match. That is the dark story RF's entire career. RN won mental battle amazingly. RF mental vulnerability really differentiates him among mental giant like RN and ND
THat's the most ignorant thing to say ever about someone who has won 20 GS
If if. If Nadal has Federers serve he'd have like 30
@@raobuctdeerf Bullshit. If Nadal or Djokovic were in that position (16 slams already by 2010 or there around they would keep going and trying to adapt and improve and never get complacent and relying on the same strategies. You just kind of proved the original threads point of Federers mental toughness which isnt up to par with his actual talent and ability
It's incredible how when these two face each other on big stages, it brings out the best in both. amazing shot making.
Who’s watching before Fedal Roland Garros 2019???
I'm watching after the final. :)
4:46 The forehand of Doom
Just madly love both of these magnificent athletes: Rogers smooth as silk shot making and Rafas mind boggling intensity! Vamos Rafa!
how federer lost the first set is beyond me
How? Nadal just coming up with brilliant shots from 3-5 down that's how.
david wong 15' medical time out for Rafa.
That's why.
it's astonishing how many Federer fans peddle that BS. Nadal DID NOT take any MTO. He got something on his foot fixed during a changeover before his own serve down 2-5. It was a regular changeover, maybe a minute extra and Federer had a set point in the following game on Nadal's serve where he missed the dropshot and Nadal took control from that point . I don't know where this nonsense started but it seems every delusional Fed fan is somehow convinced that Nadal took an MTO and broke Federer's rhythm. It's a complete lie. The match is on d a i l y m o t i o n, go and watch it if you don't believe me.
+Matt Smith Give us the video link where you CLEARLY heard Rafa was asking the umpire for time out for what you just claimed.
+A. I. That vid is not on the youtube. But you are wrong
My god this is a phenomenal level of tennis.
Federer could have definitely won the first 3 sets. But Nadal has such great mental toughness.
@DS Nah. It should have been 3-0 Federer. Federer started the second set poorly only because he choked the first set. Fed was no doubt the better player in the first three sets. Full credit to Nadal for being the mentally stronger player and pulling a hoodini.
I was literally crying after seeing him lost this match after seeing him play ist set he was unstoppable
Who's here before their semifinal 😁 ?
Fuck off
No matter how good you are, you cannot beat Nadal on clay!!
Except for Soderling and Djokovic
Yes, but even these 2 had their ass seriously wooped by Rafa on clay. Soderling was impressive in 2009, but in 2010 & 2011 he got banged. Djokovic beat Nadal in 3 straights sets in 2015 but has a 1-6 record against Rafa at the french. Very very difficult to beat him
@@noledjokovic100 Djoko doesn't count because he beat Nadal in 2015 which was Nadal's worst year. Anybody could've beaten him! Soderling yes.
Théo Becquet federer beat nadal on clay ! Madrid 2009 in his country
@@TheFlash3237 Fucking idiots. Djokovic in this year won 2 clay matches in a row against Nadal. Djokovic H2H against Nadal on Clay since 2010 is 7:7. Djokovic H2H at RG since 2010 is 1:3 with RG semifinal where Nadal was 2:4 in fifth decisive set so it could easily be 2:2 since 2010. Who comments this sport my god.
3:51 This shot hurts
Imagine if he had won this match...I wonder if he would have fallen on the clay the way Rafa used to do
I don't know about winning the match but Roger definitely should've closed that first set! Obviously, Rafa also struggled to close the 2nd set after being up a break twice and having squandered set points but eventually he did, unlike Roger who didn't close out the 1st set! There's a huge difference between one set all or 2 sets down and that might have made the difference in the end.
Legend says that Rafa smiled when Federer defeated Djokovic in RG SF 2011
It would have made 0 difference. Nadal dominates the H2H over Djokovic 6-1 at Roland Garros. Also, if Djokovic was unable to defeat Federer, let alone Nadal who destroyed Federer.
@@srkucrickk it was 2011 things were different on clay that year, Djokovic defeated Nadal in straight sets in the 2 meetings on clay that year.......So it would have made hell lot of a difference my dear
@@srkucrickk Yes it would.Nadal didnt destroy fedderer(fedderer also shouldev had won the 1st set).It shouldev had been 2-1 for fedderer.Add that nadal has stylistic preference of facing fedderer,especially on faster courts.
@@srkucrickk You are ignoring that tennis is literally all about match ups. For Djokovic, Federer is kind of a bad matchup, while Nadal is waay better for him. He can neutralize his FH with his monstrous consistent BH even on clay, let alone the fact that we are talking about 2011, Djokovic in his absolute peak. 2 years later he went on an 5 setter against Nadal and almost ended up beating him(literally), so I still believe he could have beaten Nadal here. I mean, even for Federer it took his absolute best clay performance to take him out, I just can't see Nadal beating him(at this point it was a mental game too, Djokovic was owning Rafa even on clay that year..)
Let's just say that Nadal was more happy with Federer in the final than Djokovic :) He would agree on this too.
wangster
Only fools belive that Rafa was not happy to face Federer in the final rather then Djokovic. Everybody who understands tennis knows that Djokovic is a much worser match up then what Federer has ever been. The match between Federer and Djokovic in the semifinals I was cheering for Djokovic to go to the final and definitely not Federer because I have had enough of seeing predictable Federer-Nadal French Open finals and I am a Federer fan do I even need to say more?? Of course not you all get my point.
Federer v Nadal 2019 French Open semifinals
Ahh shit here we go again🔥✔
That drop shot on the set point in the first set.. if that doesn’t go out… then Federer has a really good chance keeping it close. A short first set won against nadal is a dream start.
That first set killed the match.
Federer played way better here than in RG finals of 2006 n 2007... his backhand was improved a lot as far as playing it on clay is concerned.. still lost .. Simply Rafael Nadal
I would've loved to see his 2017 BH on clay, oh well
Nadal on the other hand is having one of the most dominant FO runs in his career; losing a total of 28 games coming to the final...beast.
He truly is ...
Make that THE most dominant...
(35 games lost)
Federer definitely didn't play better then either of those years... he played better than 2008, and arguably better than 2005.
Nadal was between history and Federer all the way
There's no use watching these highlights because I always know who wins
it was the first set where he was broken.............................mentally!!
Mithlesh Trivedi Federer choked. He needs to let go of that fear to beat nadal in 2019
@@andywu8558 We'll see what happens
Hero Miles i hope Roger beats nadal this time.
@@andywu8558 it's just so tough to beat him in RG especially in semi finals and finals
agreed. RF mental confidence hammered him both FO 06 and FO 11. RN mental resilience along with skill gave him victory this 2 FO. RF got skill but mentally always vulnerable facing RN on clay. He seriously need mental adjustment.
that's the only chance that Fed could have beaten nadal at roland garros, his best shot
I don't Federer will ever forgive Nadal for all those beatings in the French Open.
Let him cry,vamos rafa
Federer still the best
@@hesdjed5270 nadal kicked the best ass everytime, vamos rafa
@@sureshrainamousi4581 Wimbledon
@@DimitarFCBM okay , wimbledon, nole kicked roger ass hard, vamos rafa
A lot of times Federer's level used to drop when he is in front. After watching this i believe Federer had a good chance of winning this match, he should try his chances at another RG not this year maybe the next.
If Federer had his 2017 backhand he probably wins this match, he played really good here.
Nadal is a absolute goat... He is Supreme in both clay and hard court.. Although he had not achieve many grandslam in hard court but the number of Runner-up in hard court also proof his legacy in hard court... He only faced some problem when he played in grass...so undoubtedly Rafael Nadal is a goat in tennis and ultimate phenomenal 😍😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
If Rafa wins the French Open again they need to rename a court after him!! Anyone else agree??
Yes we do
He's already having a state of himself at the entrance, but no tournament will ever name something after a non-native player.
So no Federer/Sampras court at Wimbledon and no Djokovic arena at the Australian.
@@1ena585 But none of them dominated their favourite slams as much Nadal dominated Roland Garros since 15 years now.
@@1ena585 Not even close !!!
@@zakariadjouzi7570 You're right. They still won't have a Rafael Nadal court.
federer should thanks soderling for having 1 Rolland garros.
Umair Yaseen Why ? because he played great the five first games and then crack up mentally for the rest of the match ? hell to the naw. He lost because Nadal owned him mentally in that time because he was better, that's it.
nadal can thanks the federe for beat djokovic in semifinal. beceause is nole beat nadal in all seven finals that 2011,
sarkastik 76 It never happened. So your argument is invalid. I can recreate the world if fiction is a way to determine realism.
your mother is invalid, fucking idiot
Hahahhha
Just passing through on my journey to watch every Federer match.
Watching Rafa at Garros is like being back watching McEnroe dominate clay in the 80s.. amazing. Almost brings me to tears.
🤡
besides the magnificent high level tennis which is played, let's appreciate there's no drama or unsportsmanlike behavior.. never a racket broke with these 2 guys.. just very good tennis
i appreciate that this video showed very good tennis considering it didnt involve the goat of tennis ... i definitely appreciate that bit ...
Can't ask for more
Glorious play.
Well, after all, he is the "King of Clay."
Federer lost against the GOD'S CLAY
my dear rafa,pls lift the us open trophy.two grandslam titles for roger and two for you as well this 2017 season
he did it
Yep 13 RGs to Rafa, one to Roger, what can you say the man's a machine.
How the could Rafa win this first set??? Roger came out on fire, still from 5-2 Nadal digged himself back in the game.
9 ROLAND GARROS.FOR.NADAL. THIS IS AMAZING
Anthony Siu Melgarejo make that 10
WHOOHOO!!! CHEERS!! :)
UNBELIEVABLE
11 now cheers
11
Federer’s 2nd biggest choke against Nadal, right behind the AO 2009. Should’ve won the first and third set. Idk how a fifth set would’ve gone but I’d gather Federer would’ve been pretty competitive in it
It's crazy to see how much the French Open crowds like Nadal now compared to before when they were rooting against him. Props to Nadal for never reacting to them that much
In the 4th set Nadal is totally unplayable
Fed got tired he is not very good physically
This was actually Federer's best chance to beat Nadal on clay. He blew some big points.
He had to win that first set to have any chance, he barely misses a drop shot when he had set point and Nadal comes back and wins 5 games in a row.
Why are the points of the game horizontal? How do we know to who the points belong?? 🤦♀️ 🤦🏿
That intro is so good!
The Best !!
I hope we see Roger in French Open again. I feel he still has it in him to win a title there.
Your wish is fulfiled.
Ironically this was Federer's best slam of 2011
The King of Clay! Vamos Rafa~~~❤
How Federer lost this match is beyond my comprehension. Nadal was playing his worst French Open and still managed to win
2006.
It was mental block, it also led to rushing the last ball of first set
only nadal i love nadal
level of nadal, djokovic and federer on this tournament was insane.
Thomas Vicentin this wasn’t that high a level from Nadal during the tournament
Great Caesar's Ghost! The Federer backhand can bring tears to your eyes.
Brimming with renewed confidence after stopping Novak, no longer had the burden of finally winning the French and completing the career (or calendar) slam, Nadal not at his absolute best. This was his shot, and he biffed it.
Yup. TBH, I was apprehensive about Rafa facing Novak in the final. He was in Rafas head. I won't say he would have lost to Novak but it would have been a brutal battle. At a minimum. Just like with Roger. This is the best Roger has played at the French, by far. His level against peak Novak was insane and he was timing the ball superbly. Not an easy match for Rafa at all.
How could you say Nadal was not at his best.... He would have maybe been beaten if Novak had been to the finals....Otherwise even an injured Nadal would heal his injury and play like a God in RG..
Federer really did have a mental block against Nadal on clay, look at his face expressions at 4:59. He's frustrated, uncomfortable, its almost like he knew he was going to lose the set already honestly. You can see it in his eyes. Some say Fed lost these finals before stepping onto the court against Rafa, looking back at these matches and I start to agree with them.
Of course, I don't think that Federer could have won this match even if he ended up winning the first set. He was done at start of the 4th already, so most likely it would have been Nadal in 4 or 5 still. It's just painful the way Roger lost those matches, especially this one..
Honestly the mental block was also created by Nadal. When you hit aggressive shots you expect to be in control but Nadal returns deep and makes it uncomfortable to continue attacking. It's not as black and white as just a mental block and that's why Nadal has only lose here thrice.
@@superx1457That's what i was thinking looking it again now... RF was hitting some insane shots but Nadal defence was unbreakable.
Nadal has defeated Federer all six times they've met at Roland Garros, four times in the finals and twice in semis. Federer would have had what, maybe 28 to 30 Slams if Nadal didn't exist? Absolutely insane. Nadal was the perfect player to defeat Federer, and that's precisely what's happened.
GOAT of strong era wins against GOAT OF weak era. Respect both!
If it was a weak era,how come 35-38 year old fed has a 6-1 record vs nadal?
What is wrong with you people. Why can't you respect both?
It was not weak era
it's incredible how federer lost this macth......
for me it's credible. nadal is the god's clay. he can't lose against anyone on clay
Elena Ingegneri he could win the first easily, like in all his matches against Nadal, he lost the clever points
Anthony Siu Melgarejo And then 2015/16 came...
Soderling ;)
absolutely credible. even if he won that first set which he should, there is still no guarantee at all to beat rafa on clay. for about 10 years, it was just impossible to win 3 sets against that guy on clay. challenge him, maybe, but win? nah...
It's happening again RG 2019 😁
Teu cu
I just purchased the black and white 97 Autograph. After hitting with it for 30 minutes I asked myself why on Earth did he not switch to this frame (it was developed in 2013) or even consider a 95 sq in like Djokovic earlier? His backhand would not have been a liability at all. I'm a Rafa fan but I've got to admit I now understand why Rafa lost 5 straight matches to him on hard in 2017. Clay is another matter but at 38 Roger still managed the semis and he was competitive for 2 sets and Rafa did not attack his backhand a whole lot if anyone noticed.
I wager if you asked Federer, "What set do you most regret losing?" he might say, "First set, 2011 French Open. I had him, and I blew it."
Goat Rafa beats Goat Federer
Uchiha Sasuke .. Federer = Madara.. Nadal = Hashirama... 😁😁
Maybe in clay. Although peak clay Roger would put up a good fight. Honestly Federer had a solid chance at winning this match. On grass, Nadal would get crushed. Especially with Federer's new ferocious backhand and racket. Nadal simply doesn't have the time to get around the ball and produce high spin powerful forehands to Federer's backhand.
BazingaDude 24 nadal beat peak Roger on clay a lot of times
Win 2008 Final?
BazingaDude 24 peak clay fed would put up a great fight peak nadal beat fed on grass... Wimbly08 remember??
First set should have been Federer' really.
I remember watching this on TV I left and came back and Roger lost the set. I was so pissed.
@Sam McPhail He really should've won that French Open
@Sam McPhail It really is. That has always been Roger's weakness.
EXTRA STAMINA FULL, SUPER STRONG FULL AND TOP SUPER RANKING PLAYERS IN THIS GAME..................
PARTICIPANTS IS EXTRA STRONG FULL, TECHNICAL FULL, PRACTICE FULL, STAMINA FULL, ENERGY FULL AND POWERFUL........
UNDESIRABLES SERVICE, DESTROY FULL FOREHANDS, ATTRACTIVE FULL RETURN , WINNING STYLISH SHOTS, AND ALL THINGS SEEN IN THIS GAME...................
VERY TUFF AND POWERFUL GAME , BUT WINER IS WONDERFUL.............
When asked Nadal said this was Federers best french open final versus him due to his variety.
First set is epic. French public is beyond me, how every year they want Nadal to lose and Rogen to win. Yet, ended up with disappointment.
ive been a federer fan since the sampras match. the man is a once in a lifetime talent but i think his arrogance is what cost him important matches against nadal he would be playing winning tennis until the points became important and then he would seem to get nervous as a federer fan i felt bad because i know if he played with no fear of losing he would have won this match and many others vs nadal but i feel nadal was born to if nothing else to force federer to play longer to protect his grand slam lead so in a way iam happy that nadal came around because we all know that federer is as close to perfection that you will ever see on a tennis court so to have watched him show his gifts for all of these years nadal just came along to show that hes still human atleast on clay anyway
and hard court and grass.
Great video, Vamos Rafa
Federer's best chance to win against Nadal on a RG final, the first set was a big opportunity for him and you could see the real disapointment on his face in how the set was gone from him in a hurry, eventhough it wouldnt garantee him the win in the final that first set could've give him confidence for the next sets or so, as a huge Fed fan it still hurts me how he sometimes failed mentally against the spaniard,but take nothing from Nadal, the guy is a fucking machine on clay and RG is forever his backyard
Roger on clay is very underrated, he reached 5 RG finals but only won once. Still was enough to complete his Career Grand Slam
Thanks to Soderling!!
fed had him here..just could not believe in himself..
Mister perfect! Brilliant Rafael! Vamoooos! 💖🎾🇪🇸🏆🥇
Fed was playing unbelievable that year. Should have won that first set....and then who knows.
Nadal is a hard worker and Federer is a smart worker
Nadal is a warior and Federder is a artist
Federer is tactics and strategy, Nadal is raw and aggression
@@bwp2bruce There's nothing in Federer's game that is strategic, in fact all of Nadal, Murray and Djokovic are more strategic.
Federer relies on talent and shot making to win, if those are not working he is toast simple as that, there's nothing in his game that is strategic.
He should have been 2-1 up in sets before the 4th
Federer avait produit du très bon tennis, déjà en demi contre djoko invaincu de la saison et en finale contre Nadal aussi. Balles de 6/2 dans le 1er set, triple balle de break début du 4ème, score du dernier set sévère, mais ce sacré Nadal a une défense hors norme, Federer n'avait pas démérité sans déjouer
Interesting match. I miss Mary Carillo's commentary at the 4 majors. Why did she stop?
Some people should get over it. Nadal was NEVER going to lose this final to Federer. Even if Federer would have won the first set it wouldn't save him.
hopy51 Why are you so sure...
@@masters.1000 hmmm because Nadal is 13-2 overall against Federer on clay, Because he was 4-0 against Nadal on The French Open before this match, Because Nadal only lost one best of five set match on clay in his entire career before this match, because Nadal never (that's right) lost a single five set match on clay.
I can keep going, but if you don't get the picture I guess there wouldn't be any point.
@@gherbihicham8506 Those are just numbers, You never know what might happen on the day that they are playing, The mental aspect plays a huge role, Nerves might set in, He might start struggling mentally since he has to keep up that flawless record, hence he could start mis-hitting some crucial shots. I am just saying Stats cannot predict what happens in the future. Everybody has an opportunity even if it might be slim. you just never know.
@@rahulmalpe Yup their final score in The french this year was 6-3 6-4 6-2, I'm still pretty sure thank you very much.
Wrong. Anybody that understands tennis knows Federer should have won in straight sets. Simply put, Nadal just won it mentally. He was average at RG that year and Djokovic would have thrashed him.