ARTICLES:

• Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal Breathe New Life Into an Old Rivalry | The New York Times

The concern for Federer is that Nadal had the ideal warm-up partner in Dimitrov, who plays a similar all-court game to Federer and also has a flashy one-handed backhand.

Dimitrov hit it beautifully under pressure on Friday night, particularly down the line, and yet he still lost. Federer’s backhand, which has generally looked strong, even off deep balls to the corners, has long tended to break down under the relentless pressure of the left-handed Nadal’s whipping forehand.

All that said, this certainly looks like a more neutral venue in tactical terms than a clay court or a slow hardcourt, which would heavily favor Nadal.

• Why we should never, ever doubt Rafael Nadal’s resolve | ABC

If he wins Sunday, he will be just two Grand Slams behind Federer in the all-time list, a huge motivation to close the gap even further at the French Open in May.

Their final will be a special occasion for both, but for now Nadal will be focused only on recovering in time to give his all, as he always does.

“It was a very demanding match, physically and mentally, but in the past Rafa has been able to recover well from these matches,” Moya said. “So he’s going to be OK, I think.”

• Australian Open Men’s Final Preview: Roger Federer Vs. Rafael Nadal | tennis.com

Just seeing Nadal and Federer in this setting again should be reward enough for most tennis fans. But I expect they’ll give us a lot more than just their names and reputations. As they’ve showed us over the last two weeks, they can still play with—and play better than—anyone.

• Fedal XXXV: What the world is saying | Australian Open

Perhaps encapsulating the excitement and occasion best was not a newspaper or online outlet, nor fans on twitter, but instead Andy Roddick, the American former world No.1 who played both Federer and Nadal at their peaks.

“It might be, as far as history goes, the biggest match ever in Australian Open history,” he said, “and maybe grand slam history.”

• Federer vs. Nadal: 35 Points To Consider | ATP World Tour

3: Nadal is seeking to become the third player all-time and first in the Open Era to win each Grand Slam twice, joining Roy Emerson and Rod Laver.

2: Nadal is bidding to become just the third man to win Grand Slam titles in their teens, 20s & 30s, joining Ken Rosewall and Pete Sampras.

1: Both Federer and Nadal have spent significant amounts of time at No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Federer spent a record 302 weeks at No. 1, while Nadal was No. 1 for 141 weeks (7th all-time).

• Is there life after Roger and Rafa? | Reuters

“I was already prepared in the last couple of majors and I have to say … I didn’t miss them that much,” said former world number one Mats Wilander, now a commentator for Eurosport.

“Now they’re back I realise, wow, how much they add. They made it look so easy, Federer’s way of playing and Nadal’s way of being, it’s just so natural they’re going to win.

“Now it’s like going to see the (Rolling) Stones every night. For me it’s unbelievable.”

• Australian Open 2017: Roger Federer adopts nothing-to-lose mindset v Rafael Nadal | BBC

“He’s an incredible tennis player,” said Federer, who described himself as Nadal’s number one. “He’s got shots that no other one has. When you have that, you are unique and special.”

Should Nadal win on Sunday, he will be the first man in the Open era – and third overall – to win all four Grand Slam titles twice. Federer, meanwhile, is trying to become the first man to win three of the major titles five times.

“It’s exciting for both of us that we are still there and fighting for important events,” said Nadal. “It’s very special.”

• Far more on the line than an Aussie Open trophy for Federer, Nadal | ESPN

“I have said and argued with John McEnroe and Ted Robinson during our French Open telecasts for many years that you cannot anoint Roger Federer the greatest of all time if he isn’t the greatest of his own time,” Carillo said in Melbourne on Saturday. “And it’s not just on red clay. Nadal has the edge on hard courts as well. Like in boxing, it’s all about the matchup. When Roger is playing at his luminous best he has no need to worry about the other side of the net.

“But if he is playing Nadal, even his best is often not enough.”

• Australian Open Final Preview: Rafa vs. Roger XXXV | ATP World Tour

With 35 titanic clashes over the last 13 years, Federer and Nadal have staked their claim as the greatest rivalry in sporting history. In tennis, time is a commodity. Careers don’t last forever. It’s not the longest-running rivalry of all-time, but it is arguably the most pervasive, transcending Federer and Nadal themselves and becoming a staple of modern culture.

From Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo in football to Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier in boxing, Jack Nicklaus-Arnold Palmer in golf and Larry Bird-Magic Johnson in the NBA, there have been many legendary rivalries over the years, but few have captured the imagination quite like Roger vs. Rafa. They have made each other stronger, more influential figures both between the lines and away from the court.

• Roger v Rafa: the five best matches | Australian Open
• Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal: The four ages of tennis’s greatest rivalry | The Telegraph
• Australian Open: tennis greats divided on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal | The Guardian

Pat Rafter says Rafa, Pat Cash says Roger. Rod Laver and others also divided.

• Dream final: How Nadal broke Federer in the past | ESPN

Nadal has won each of their last six meetings in Grand Slams, twice in Paris, three times in Australia and once at Wimbledon. Going by all these numbers, it is likelier that Nadal’s Grand Slam tally will go up to 15, than Federer climbing to 18. Unless Federer can combine the break opportunities of the first 26 matches with the conversion rate of the last eight.

• Mark Petchey looks ahead to Roger Federer against Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final | Sky Sports

“It’s arguable their biggest ever match and I think, assuming that Roger is fit, then you kind of feel the conditions will suit him. But it’s 51 per cent, 49 per cent – I don’t think there is a clear-cut favourite right now.”

• Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal roll back years for unexpected encore | The Guardian

This is the final no one expected but nearly everyone wanted. A fortnight ago, nobody outside their immediate circles would have predicted that the title would be decided between the world No17 and the world No9 in a stretch of competition where Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are so far ahead of the field that their nearest rival is Milos Raonic, the ailing Canadian who went out to Nadal in the quarter-finals.

PHOTOS:

• Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal: ranking their greatest ever grand slam clashes | The Telegraph
• A timeless classic – Nadal vs. Dimitrov | Australian Open
• Rafa’s ready to rumble – Rafa’s practice | Australian Open
• Paparazzi snapped Rafael Nadal and his girlfriend Maria Francisca Perello leaving hotel in Melbourne | Daily Mail

AUDIO: Tennis podcast: ‘Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are the greatest of all time’, says John McEnroe | The Telegraph

John McEnroe believes that Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are already the two greatest male tennis players ever to draw breath. Ahead of the final, which will be played on Sunday morning in the UK, McEnroe joined Catherine Whitaker (Eurosport) for an interview that we can hear in its entirety here on the Tennis Podcast.

“They are the two greatest of all-time already, but this gives Roger a change to extend his lead to 18 Slams or Rafa to narrow the gap to just two,” said McEnroe.

VIDEOS:

• The road to the men’s final | Australian Open
• The Baseline: Roger Federer v Rafael Nadal men’s final | Australian Open
• History repeats: 2008 Wimbledon – 2017 AO | Australian Open