Found January 24, 2012 on Busted Racquet:
Atp_qatar_exxonmobil_6756
We'll have more on the hotly anticipated Australian Open semifinal between Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal on Wednesday. Until then, enjoy two spectacular shots the respective champions hit in their quarterfinal wins and help us decide which was more impressive: Nadal's point was won on sheer athleticism. He starts the return from the other side of the court, runs across it in the time it takes Tomas Berdych to rifle a forehand, somehow gets there and still has the composure, strength and accuracy to blast a forehand winner down the line. (And he did that while taking an awkward, mid-swing kick step.) The real-time replay shows off Nadal's footwork and speed. The slow motion displays his precision and control. Federer's shot is indescribable. What is that? A backhand slice drop shot? A blop shot? Look at the way the ball dies on the court when it bounces. If Fed had been playing on Hisense Arena, you'd have thought he hit a dead spot. It's sublime. If I had t...
THE BACKYARD
BEST OF MAXIM
AROUND THE WEB
RELATED ARTICLES

Federer? Nadal? Give It Up For The Ball Boy

ESPN put up a piece this morning analyzing Rafael Nadal’s Australian Open semifinals win over Roger Federer, attributing Federer’s 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-4 loss to everything from inability to consolidate break lead to being bored because the fireworks went on too long. It touches on everything short of “Brooklyn Decker was supposed to stick around and watch...

Nadal downs Federer to reach Aussie Open final

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Rafael Nadal has beaten Roger Federer to reach the Australian Open final, extending his command in the personal duel between two of the best tennis players of all time.

Australian Open Quarterfinals Preview

Roger Federer vs Juan Martin Del Potro: It’s the rematch we’ve been waiting over two years for. This pair hasn’t met each other in a Slam since that classic 2009 US Open final, where Del Potro came back to beat Federer. It was really the match that showed people Delpo’s extreme potential and Federer’s vulnerability [...]

Straight Sets: Federer-Nadal Rivalry Adds Another Chapter

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal meet for the 27th time on Thursday (3:30 a.m. Eastern, ESPN2), in the semifinals of the Australian Open.

Nadal outlasts Berdych, earns semifinal showdown against Federer

MELBOURNE, Australia-Rafael Nadal will meet Roger Federer in the Australian Open semifinals after coming back to beat No. 7 Tomas Berdych 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-3 on Tuesday night.

Roundup: Rafael Nadal Beats Roger Federer at the Australian Open, Doug McDermott Scores 30 & Should the Suns Trade Steve Nash?

The face behind the honey badger, comparing WAGS in New York and New England, James Franco's reality show, and Le Batard interviews Chael Sonnen.
THE TENNIS HOT 40
Today's Best Stuff
For Bloggers

Join the Yardbarker Network (YBN) for more promotion, traffic, and money.

Company Info
Help
What is Yardbarker?

Yardbarker is the largest network of sports blogs and pro athlete blogs on the web. This site is the hub of the Yardbarker Network, where our editors and algorithms curate the best sports content from our network and beyond.