A look at the great rivalry between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic ahead of the French Open final

Novak Djokovic & Rafael Nadal

A good rivalry is essential to all sport. Plain as it sounds, it’s the DNA of the game. Real Madrid vs Barcelona, Manchester United vs Liverpool, Ali vs Frazier, India vs Pakistan, Australia vs England, Senna vs Prost, Connors vs McEnroe, Messi vs Ronaldo and the list goes on. Individuals or teams, rivalries tend to take a game to the next level.

Take a moment to breathe, the names above are all great, but spend another moment to think, would they have been as great without the other? In a time when only success is celebrated, must we not credit the game? Must we not credit the person/team that pushes the champion to that extreme level? Statistics are a dull point from sports fans, for true fans enjoy passion, moments and style.

Which is why, though Nadal has a huge head to head advantage over Federer, most fans rate Federer as a better player. Statistics are huge for TV networks and websites, but fans are not born from numbers. In modern tennis though, that line is drawn.

The most equal rivalry, the most matches played, and some of the greatest even, have now occurred between two players of equal measure, and even though they both emerged out the Federer era separately, they have now commenced the greatest rivalry on earth.

Novak Djokovic vs Rafael Nadal is now an expected match in major tournaments, even though the outcome is neither expected or predictable. In a game of 50-50 these two are capable of wild swings in fortune in the duration of one game, bringing about the greatest aspect of the sport, that the form book is nothing. A rivalry that when looked at through the eyes of the future, will take its rightful place at the top of the heap.

We have another epic in the making this Sunday, and yet only God knows if the eight time champion will make it nine against the guy who just needs this title to put him in the same league. Forget God, I’m sure even He will have hedged bets on this one. If this rivalry isn’t one to celebrate then I don’t know what is.