Thank you, Rafael

I would like to personally thank Rafael Nadal for making my day Sunday. The talented and popular Spanish tennis player beat Roger Federer in the French Open men's final 1-6,6-1,6-4, 7-6 (4), and in doing so he prevented Federer from making history while solidifying himself as the dominant player in their relatively short rivalry (Nadal leads their meetings \n6-1). \nTheir Sunday battle, perhaps the most anticipated match of the year, was Federer's first appearance in a French Open final, and because of Nadal's scrappy play, his first-ever loss in a Grand Slam final. It was also his first attempt to hold all four Grand Slam titles at one time, a feat accomplished by only a few of the game's most elite legends.\nBut Nadal stopped Federer's run for the history books and continued his own. With his victory, he now ranks as one of the few men's players able to defend his French Open title (he won the French last year) and extended his clay court win streak to 60, which is seven wins past the previous record of 53, set by the Argentinian Guillermo Vilas in 1977. He also still holds the honor of being the only man to beat Federer this year. \nThe Federer-Nadal rivalry picked up steam at last year's French Open when Nadal beat the world's No. 1 in the semi-finals on his 19th birthday (a rather nice gift to himself, I might add) and went on to win the Slam. Since then, Nadal has won every meeting, including three this year before the French Open final. And I think this is wonderful.\nFrom 2003 to 2005, the world watched Federer, who has seven Slam titles, dominate men's tennis. No one could beat him. His machine-like perfection delighted fans as he skillfully cranked out winner after winner, but his constant success became boring for die-hard tennis fans like me. \nI got sick of seeing him run opponents ragged and hoist trophy after trophy. Even top 10 players couldn't compete with him. A briefly hyped rivalry between Federer and Andy Roddick, then No. 2 in the world, never panned out because, as Roddick himself admitted, in order for there to be a rivalry, Roddick would have to win some of the matches, which he never really did (and his 1-10 record against Federer proves this).\nMaybe I'm still a little bitter because Federer was rumored to be the next Pete Sampras (to me, Pistol Pete is simply irreplaceable), and my personal dislike for Federer began when he beat Sampras at Wimbledon in 2001, the second-to-last Wimbledon Sampras played before winning his final U.S. Open title the next summer and retiring. But honestly, I don't think my personal feelings cloud my better tennis judgment.\nVariety is good. It's no fun to see the same people win over and over again, which is also why I became defiant of the Williams sisters, who have now turned their focus to fashion. Anyway, Nadal adds spice to the upper echelons of the men's tennis field. He's focused, determined and undeniably skilled. He has a wide variety of shots and is physically fit enough to win long matches on clay, which is arguably the game's toughest surface. Also, his sheer will makes him a joy to watch. I've never seen Nadal get down on himself and tank a match. He's always motivating himself, and from his spirited jumping fist pumps to the "Vamos Rafa" he has emblazoned on his Nike tennis shoes, he is the picture of positive attitude and unrivaled determination. You can tell he simply wants it more than anyone else. And that's endearing (and refreshing) to fans.\nNadal has always said his dream is to win Wimbledon, and I think he has as good a shot as any in the future, despite John McEnroe's comment Sunday that Federer was more likely to win the French than Nadal was to win Wimbledon. (Perhaps Johnny Mac is just a little jealous considering he failed to win one French Open title, let alone two.) I think that because of his talent and attitude, there's no limit to what Nadal can accomplish in his career. And no matter the outcome, Federer-Nadal matches will continue to produce some of the most entertaining competition the game has ever seen. So whether you're a tennis fan or not, I strongly encourage you to watch the next time they play each other. Maybe even pick your own favorite player, but we all know who I'll be rooting for. Vamos Rafa!