Poll: Who’ll Finish Ranked Higher In 2015, Roger Federer Or Rafael Nadal?
- 40 Comments
With the off-season (or cash-money exo season) underway, let’s start looking ahead to next year. Novak Djokovic is the clear cut favorite, but who’ll be ahead between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal? Yes, anything “Fedal” will fire up the fanbases, but it’s a legitimate question, especially for a slow Friday. Will it be the aging Swiss legend or the Spanish Bull who should be well rested after an injury-plagued 2014?
Rafael Nadal
The case for…
* Should start the year at 100% health, playing full schedule
* Should also be fresh after missing so much time in 2014 due to injury (remember his surge in 2013!)
* Still the most dominating player on clay, a virtual lock to win the French
* No real new clay rivals emerging (Raonic, Dimitrov, Nishikori – not really)
* Federer’s getting older, Djokovic is a family guy and Murray may have peaked
* After injuries must be motivated to prove he’s healthy
The case against…
* Body continues to break down – back, wrist, etc, what will go next?
* Getting older – will be 29 in June!
* Only one of the Big Four not “hitched”, does Xisca now put the pressure on?
* Djokovic came close at French, maybe gets over the hump in 2015
* Defending points first half of year, so seeding could match him with Novak in the SFs during early part of year
Roger Federer
The case for…
* Coming off excellent season
* Was healthy until very last weekend of the season
* Rivals not really at their best – Djokovic now has a family, Nadal/Delpo coming off injuries, Murray not at his best
* Still dominates the younger generation (Raonic, Dimitrov, Nishikori, etc)
* After slipping in ranks, seeding back in Top 4
The case against…
* Now 33, will be 34 in August (he’s 14 years older than Nick Kyrgios!!!)
* Back problems persist, could flare up at any time
* May further cut back on schedule – fewer points
* Motivation – Davis Cup won, no Olympics in 2015 so what’s really to play for?
* Younger generation continues to close the gap
* Is a father of 4 – priorities?
My pick: I’ll lean slightly to Rafael Nadal only because I saw what he did in 2013 after he had so much time off. So he should return fresh and highly motivated. And I think with his main rivals maybe not in 100% peak form, he can take advantage of that, dominate on clay and do well on the hardcourts and he’ll be playing more events than Roger. While for Federer at 33, 34, the injuries are going to continue to mount and I just don’t see a Grand Slam title right now in his future for 2015. Plus, should they meet outdoors that matchup still favors Rafa.
You Might Like:
Fedal Wars: Who’ll Finish Higher Ranked In 2014, Roger Federer Or Rafael Nadal? [Poll]
Poll: Who’ll Finish 2014 No. 1, Novak Djokovic Or Roger Federer
Poll: Who’ll Win The Wimbledon Final, Novak Djokovic Or Roger Federer?
Poll: Who’ll Most Likely Move Into The Top 10 In 2015?
Poll: Who’ll Win More Wimbledons, Novak Djokovic Or Petra Kvitova?