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Rafael Nadal Vs Roger Federer In Miami Calls For Australian Open 2017 Revenge?

By Jenny Cox
Published on: 16:55 PST, Mar 28, 2017

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will go down in tennis history as the biggest rivals of all time. While many thought that their eras have come and gone, this year’s finals at Australian Open showed that Nadal and Federer are here to stay. With both of the players advancing to quarterfinals at Miami Open 2017, the chances of their finals rematch is getting stronger and stronger.

In Miami, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have faced some challenges but were able to skate past their opponents without too much drama. The Spaniard just defeated Nicolas Mahut of France in just two sets, 6-4 and 7-6, and now face the youngster Jack Sock from the United States in the quarterfinals.

The Swiss overcame the challenges from Roberto Bautista Agut in two difficult sets, 7-6 and 7-6, and now will contend with Tomáš Berdych.

The press is eager for either of the players to start talking about their momentum in this tournament, but it looks like both Nadal and Federer are being cautious about testing their luck.

“It’s very early,” Rafael Nadal said to ESPN.

“I feel that I am playing well. I can talk about myself. It’s obvious that Roger is playing great, but the year just started. Just let’s see what happens here, and let’s see what happens especially for me after this tournament.”

“Unfortunately, I can’t do it all,” Federer said.

“I can’t chase the Davis Cup and the Slams and play all the Masters 1000s. At some point something has to give, unfortunately. I wish I could do it all like when I was 24 years old.”

It is true that both players are pushing the limits of age in the tennis world. Roger Federer, who used to break records for having the most number of titles and being the youngest to accomplish certain things, is now shattering records for being the oldest player to do certain things. The 35-year-old tennis player became the oldest player to win a Grand Slam tournament since Rosewall in 1972 when he defeated Nadal in Australian Open 2017.

As for Nadal, he is only 30-years-old, but five out of top 10 players being in their twenties, that just shows how much shelf life he may have. The Spaniard, more than the Swiss, has suffered from intense injuries earlier in his career, which means that he has to be careful about how he uses his body.

Seeing both players come back was as if tennis fans all over the world went back in time. Their biggest showdown was a decade ago in Wimbledon when Rafael Nadal broke the amazing winning streak that Roger Federer had on English soil. Then, Rafa was known for his dexterity on clay and Roger for his classic style.

Since then, Roger started floundering, seeing how his playing style no longer kept his opponents at bay. Rafa, on the other hand, started seeing his rankings plummet due to his injuries and coming back from them has not been an easy task.

So their reunion and a rekindling of their rivalry at Australian Open 2017 was a big moment for both of them, reliving their old glories. It was such a big moment that Rafael Nadal, who usually keeps his personal life away from the public eye, brought out his girlfriend to cheer him on.

“She was touted as Rafael Nadal’s secret weapon that would lead him to Australian Open success, but Xisca Perello’s face told the story after an epic men’s final,” reports Daily Mail.

“Having made her first trip to a grand slam alongside Nadal during the past fortnight, the brunette beauty quickly captured the attention of tennis fans around the world. From one of the front rows of the court Perello, 28, displayed a mixture of emotions as she rode the five set roller coaster alongside her boyfriend.”

That night, the 35-year-old player after an epic five-set match (6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3), took home the trophy.

Do you think Rafael vs. Roger Federer will be possible again at Miami Open 2017? Let us know in the comments below!

[Featured Image by Aaron Favila/AP Images]

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