Amen.

I agree, that the media are very fast on writing "struggling Federer", bad half year, getting weaker and weaker... I feel, that the media are very unjust to him. Nadal was in fact in trouble against Nishikori and Karlovic, and against Djokovic it wasn't really a dominant win. I respect the fighting spirit of Nadal, but did you watch Fed in Halle? He played excellent against Baghdatis and Kiefer and others without dropping one serve (I don't mean a set, I mean a serve). You can say, this was very easy - well. He looked very confident and improving his fitness a lot. In AO he was physically simply down, and still was in SF! Well, Djokovic would withdraw with light soarthroat! So, let not be too fast in saying who is great and who is not. Both Rafa and Roger are great! Let's simply be fair to the both of them, even if we are Fed- or Rafa-fans.

It's true, Fed has a very-very ugly year. Djoko going better and better. Nadal is on the top. He has a big chance to win Wimbledon.
I'm Rafa fans, but pls, give a chance to Fed. Is it a long-long year! Wimbledon, Olympics, Us and Master's. In a fact, it seems very much, Nadal will destroy his adversaries. Of course, if he can keep his form. I know, he will. Vamos Rafa!

I watched the match at Queens and I gotta say that I really thought that Novak was going to win. He was on FIRE for the four games. But the sheer class and determination of Rafa got him back into to the match to then go on and win the first set then ultimately the match. I think that Rafa is a serious contender for Wimbledon but I do not think he is better than Fed, which is annoying because he wins everything. I got to admit that Fed is a great player and even though he is still playing @#$% this season he will beat Rafa and Novak on grass. Hence my prediction.
Fed=Winner
Rafa=Finalist but lose to Fed
Novak=Out at semi final stage

I think we are being a little unfair for Federer, When he was winning on clay but loosing sets to players of the quality of Monfils and Montanes, and Nadal was winnig easily we all said the Federer was struggling, But When Federer wins a tournament without even dropping serve once while Nadal narrowly escapes a Japanese teenager and beats Karlovic 76 in the third actually winning less points than his opponent , and when he escapes set points in both sets vs Djokovic, all we read is about how Nadal has excelled into his first ever grass court title, not remembering that Federer has won 4 Clay court master series and although he sturggled this year because of his illness that kept Ancic out for a year, yet I think he faired better this year on clay than he did last year and he deserves a lot of credit for what he accomplished during his convalesence from mononucleosis.
I also give him credit for the sportsmanship he shows on court when he is loosing, I saw him surprisingly beaten by Fish and getting demolished by Nadal in the french but I did not see ugly tactics of stopping play and getting medical time outs which became a pettern for Nadal who did it vs Djokovic in Indianwells trying to stop him from serving out the first set but he was denied by the umpire, he did it vs Federer in Hamburg and showed no signs of any stuggle before or after this time out, and even when he got broken in the 2nd set vs Djokovic in Queens he did it again for finger blisters!!
It is too early to rule Federer out just for making a bad half season that other top ten players may still consider great. He is getting it together on both the mental and the physical aspect and even if he does not win Wimbledon he still has a good chance to stay at the top of the sport for a little longer.

One more thing to those who say Djoker will win Wimbledon.

Djoker's toungue was hanging out in the second set at the Queen's..How is he going to survive 5 sets at Wimbledon ?

I'm surprised when I read Rafa's game relies on sheer physical power and strength..What about those incredible top spins, those slices, cross court winners ?? Let's see his game as it is..It is not his muscles that win the titles..It is his tennis ! And he has shown what a consumate player he is going to be very soon..He is barely 22 and has won FOUR GRAND SLAMS on clay plus a very prestigious tournament on grass at Queen's..Let's give him his due.

He is a very classy player..No spitting or swearing at the crowds (remember that Djoker at RG??) He has nice words for all his opponents.. Rafa is the best thing that makes men's tennis so exciting today !

Go Novak!! Go!! He is the new Kid on the Block!!..Watch This Space!

I thought this was a v.entertaining match. Both Nole and Nadal are amazing players but I think Nadal's sheer never-say-die attitude, helped by his amazing physique, are the things that are giving him the edge over the other players at the mo.
But I still think Federer's elegant play, when he's at his peak, is a joy to watch.
Let's hope he can get back to his high standards so that we see some great matches between these 3 over the next few years, REGARDLESS of who wins.

words, words, words.... So far Federer is the best, even though he's had a poor season by the enormous standards he's set himself. No doubt Nadal has made great progress on grass I think the biggest battles he's won are psychological as both Federer at Roland Garros and Djokovic seemed to give up way to easily against him.
Everyone was surprised by they way Federer gave up in the french final but to me I was almost more disappointed the way Djokovic got easily beaten at Queens, if Novak aims to ever be number one, he must start by taking on number two first (understatement of the century...) and after the Australian Open he seemed to have made progress, now I have doubts on his mental strength. Nadal comes off a great run but rule out Kind Federer at your peril ! If Federer play at his best on grass there's no way Nadal can ever beat him. The simple fact is that Nadal cannot boss his way on grass as he does on clay Federer will not play at the back of the court like Djokovic foolishly did at Stella Artois, that would mean playing into Nadal's game. No, for me the question remains a psychological one, does Federer still believe he's the best ?

Novak is new #1!!! C'mon Nole!!!

Novak is the best!!! Nole! Nole! Nole!
Much Luck at Wimbledon!!!

Rafa is the best! He'll win Wimbledon!.. As for his game, it's amazing. Always interesting!he's the professional..Greetings from Russia!!

Although grass and clay are so different, there is quite some overlap between succesful players on both surfaces. Borg won a lot of RG and Wimbledon, Nadal - the clay wizard - has already 2 finals in Wimbledon and now a Queen's title to his book. Federer wins everywhere, ok, but is strongest on grass; he is the 2nd best clay player. And ok, he was sick at AO, but anyway it was a final on cement without the grass and the clay champions.
Of course it was not always like that: Sampras won on grass and cement, but no RG. Agassi's wins at RG and Wimbledon were at VERY different stages of his career.
Still, maybe there is some stronger connection between clay and grass success, than one believes, despite the opposite game style (long rallies vs serve & volley).

Congratulations to Rafa and Novak.Fantastic match. I just want to point out that the grass at Queen's and grass at Wimbledon differ in favour of Queen's. It is going to be much harder for Rafa on Wimbledon courts
Novak was outstanding and Roger must be aware of those two. I am disappointed because Roger could not stand up to meet those two at Queen's and participate at Halle where he had no competition at all.
I tell You, Novak will be the number one sooner than You may think.

nadall nadal nadall bestt nadal go rafa brawooo

Rafa is looking like a drunken monkey. I hate when he wins X(

DEAR AFUO, firstly i am a fan fed as much as or nearly as much nadal but how can u compare the number of titles each has won to prove fed is best. just check your history records and look up how many titles fed had picked up at the age of 22 and u will then be shocked by the amount rafa has picked up. people have to stop comparing players. everybody has his time and fed has certainly made the best of his but after growing up 4 years in his shadow nadal is getting to be a complete player and his time has now come and before u know it nole will be on his heels too as he already is but it will still take some time to get there. its great for tennis probably nobody will dominate the tour like fed did but we are heading into great times where the fight for no1 is going to get really exciting. embrace this change it will only make for better tennis and give credit where credit is due to the man child who is a child no more. vamossssssssss

I have the greatest respect for Nadal and his performance!!! However, I am still rooting for Roger as Ithink he is the stronger one of the two.
Having said that......Rafta has the motivation to win and go further into the furure with wins after wins. They're both great guys but I truely beleive Roger F. will remain NO.1 for a long time due to his calm control of every situation that's thrown to him from all directions.

HI.I THINK THE RIVALRY IS GOOD FOR THE GAME COS IT WAS GETTING REALLY BORING SEEING FEDERER WINNING EVERYTHING.I THINK ALL 3 ARE AWESOME & CHAMPIONS IN THEIR RESPECT.FEDERER FOR BEING CONSISTENT & FIT ALL YR ROUND,YR AFTER YR.NADAL,FOR MAINTAINING WHAT HE'S GOOD AT OR WHERE HE'S GOOD AT & IMPROVING ON OTHER SURFACES(TOTALLY IMPRESSED BY HIS AUSTRAILIAN OPEN OUTING).DJOKOVIC,FOR IMPROVING SO QUICKLY.CONGRATS TO YOU ALL.WE MAY ALL TALK AND RAIN DOWN ABUSES ON ANY OF THEM BUT WHEN WIMBLEDON BEGINS IN A WEEK,ONLY CIRCUMSTANCES WILL TELL.LET'S WAIT & SEE.

FAITHFUL FAN FROM NIGERIA