Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal - who is your favourite player?

“See, if you are looking for a player who would sweat it out for five sets to win a match, Federer may not be the one you are looking for. That’s what Nadal does best – he will always make you play one extra shot and is fit enough to play one more match after a five-setter. If you are looking for a player who would make a comeback from match point and win the match, Federer may not be the one you are looking for. Agassi was one such player”

“I liked his play. He was good.”

“Federer is more about finesse, class and elegance. He is more about playing the game nobody has ever played. He is more about bringing back the tennis from the days of being a power-game. In his best days, he didn’t need to play long matches because he never let them go that far. 17 Grand Slam titles do mean something, don’t they?”

“Yes they do, but whatever I have seen so far, I tend to like Nadal more.”

“Why?”

“Look at the way he keeps playing even with injuries and more so, without even complaining about injuries.”

“That’s what he is. He would never show these things. He once played with an injury, played the entire match, went back and didn’t even let people know about it. When asked in the press conference about it, he credited the victory of his opponent to the opponent’s game than cribbing about his own injury. That’s Nadal for you.”

“Impressive.”

“So, Nadal or Federer?”

“What do you mean by Nadal or Federer?”

“You have to choose one. Whose fan would you be?”

“Do I have to choose?”

“Yes my friend. In this biggest rivalry of the game, you have to take sides”

“Well, I would prefer being a Nadal. I like the spirit with which he plays”

“You don’t like the elegance of Federer?”

“Well, he does play unbelievably well. He used to, rather”, I sounded to be favouring Federer. “But he doesn’t win come-back-from-behind kind of matches. Well, I refuse to take sides. Is it necessary to take sides? Both of them are great in their own regards. Why can’t I be a fan of both of them?”

“Nope. You have to take sides. Reason is – when you follow tennis, you would like someone to win and someone to lose. You need to feel both – joy of winning and sorrow of losing. There is no fun in following a game as a neutral. There is no emotional ride in that”

“Yes, you are right. But how do I take sides here?”

“You take sides in cricket, don’t you?”

“Yes. That’s easier. I support India. How do I take sides here?”

“How do you take sides when India isn’t playing?”

“I support the underdog” I said.

“None of them are that. The underdog”

“How do I take sides, then?”

“See, here taking sides is difficult for you. But it is interesting too. Depends upon what you like more?” I was told.

“Yes you are right. It is more difficult to pick sides when you have to find reasons to justify your loyalties. You need to find reasons in the quality of players, their game, the way the play, in the spirit they play. It is not just my country hence my team kind of thing.Yes. You need to know the game well enough to qualify as a true fan. The fandom has to be justified. If it isn’t, it will not last the test of time”

“Yes. It is not just the player but the qualities you have put your faith in that matters. A loss is loss of your reasons to put your faith in those qualities. Hence the disappointment. A victory is victory of that belief. Hence the joy”, I looked like discovering the secret.

“Yes. You are getting it now. So tell me, Federer or Nadal”

“Both. I am not knowledgeable enough to make that choice. What do I know about tennis after all?”

“But you wouldn’t know unless you start following the game. To follow the game, you need a hero. Nobody follows a game for the love of it or crap like that. People follow because they want to feel the adrenaline rush of winning or losing. Love for the game and all those things come later”

“Well, I would rather stick with cricket in that case”, was what I said. I really don’t know who to pick as my favourite player, Federer or Nadal. Maybe I would never be able to find that out.

I took a pause and did a bit of Rahul Gandhi, “Let me ask you the same question. Who is your favourite player, Federer or Nadal?”

Who is yours?