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Federer vs. Nadal…with wood racquets?
12 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Though there is nothing lacking in the ever-exciting rivalry of Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal, it’s always nice to see change, evolution and new ideas created and developed. With that spirit in mind, how about Roger vs. Rafa in a special exhibition using wood racquets for a set?
We have seen Roger and Rafa play on all surfaces, and maybe it’s time for a new twist. I think it would add a fresh, new chapter to this special rivalry, and would probably gain some extra mainstream attention too.
Roger vs. Rafa, what do you think? What the heck, for the fun of it, how would Federer’s serve explode off the wood racquet? Would Nadal’s top spin forehand be as effective? Would the points be longer or shorter? Who would win? Would you watch?
While we’re at it, how about Agassi vs. Sampras with wood? McEnroe vs. Sampras. Seles & Graf. I don’t know about you, but I’d pay to see these matches.
Would Wilson and Babolat say Okay?
Andrew Miller · December 15, 2010 at 2:18 am
Wilson and Babolat would sign up. As an internet live streaming event event (never before seen and never to be seen again), possibly played as 3 tiebreaks so as to prevent injury concerns, etc, this would be the most popular tennis hit of the year. They might want to do a dry run in the seniors tour (say, Mac vs. Sampras) and then bring the big event in 2011.
Richard Pagliaro · December 15, 2010 at 3:46 am
Would like to see it. Back in the early 1990s, I covered the Nike Cup at Madison Square Garden (Agassi, Sampras, Courier and McEnroe all played) and as part of that exo McEnroe played Sampras one set with wood racquets and Sampras was serving just as big with wood as he did with the Wilson Pro staff.
People often say Nadal would not be the same with wood because his grip is more extreme and he whips through the forehand benefiting from the larger head size of these racquets. But then again look at Borg – western grip, heavy topspin, played with a tiny, heavy Donnay – and Borg was ahead of his time in many ways and is obviously one of the best of all time.
Dan Markowitz · December 15, 2010 at 4:06 pm
I think wood racquets are too much in the past in tennis for these matches to become a reality. Someone proposed that the pros should all have to play with 90 in racquets, the way Federer does. That way we wouldn’t see the endless baseline bashing. Players would have to go for shots more. I would be in favor of such a rule, just like Major League baseball players can only use wooden and not aluminum bats.
But the racquet manufacturers would never go for such an idea.
Scoop Malinowski · December 15, 2010 at 11:08 pm
Who won the Sampras-Agassi set with the wood racquets? I would guess Pete. I think the wood racquets would be interesting and could draw wider mainstream media coverage. Whenever I see someone, which is very rare, playing at the public courts with a qood racquet it attracts your attention. And whenever I bring out my old woods to practice with, people are very curious and ask questions. It would also be cool to see Fed play Nadal with the opposite arm, Fed play lefty and Nadal play righty : ) I respect the traditions of tennis but creative twists can add a surprise to the show.
a.hack · December 16, 2010 at 12:46 am
For a real blast from the past, deny them the new strings. It is not the racquet that is hitting the ball.
Richard Pagliaro · December 16, 2010 at 2:26 am
A Hack:
there is precedent for that suggestion as they did outlaw the spaghetti string racquet Nastase used to snap Vilas’ record winning streak – unfortunately for Vilas they banned it after Nastase used it to to end the streak. I think Vilas went on to win like another 18 in a row after that.
Off topic, but is anyone watching Knicks-Celtics right now? Some high-octane end-to-end action reminiscent of Redhead’s serve-and-volley days.
Also, I think Redhead is right on target re: the manufacturers. Look at how well nadal’s Babolat frame (and variations of it) is selling. You almost can’t go to a public court without seeing someone playing with a version of it.
Scoop Malinowski · December 16, 2010 at 2:53 am
You’re right Babolat might be the best selling racquet in America, or one of them. Curious to wonder what is the #1 selling tennis racquet, does anyone have that info?
Richard Pagliaro · December 16, 2010 at 3:06 am
I just looked it up and the Babolat Aero Pro Drive was the #1 selling racquet in American tennis shops in 2010 followed by the Babolat Pure Drive and the Wilson BLX 6.1, according to Racquet Sport Industry.
vinko · December 16, 2010 at 3:09 am
They would have to send Rafa and Fed to ebay to find wooden racquets unless someone has an old Jack Kramer in the attic.
Andrew Miller · December 16, 2010 at 4:15 am
It would be a huge hit – a tiebreak played with wood racquets by Nadal and Federer.
Scoop Malinowski · December 17, 2010 at 1:36 pm
Thanks for the info RIP, wonder if when Rios, Seles and Hingis were #1 using Yonex if that spiked Yonex sales to the top.
Sid Bachrach · December 30, 2010 at 2:00 am
Try this trivia out: When Rod Laver finally gave up his Dunlop Maxply and went to the metals, he endorsed a brand of racquet that was sold in the early 1970s and I believe is long extinct. Anyone know what the brand of racquet was? BTW, the classic Rod Laver Adidas are still in vogue.